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 JOURT^AL 
 
 OF A 
 
 RESIDENCE IN ENGLAND, 
 
 &c., &c.
 
 JOURNAL 
 
 OF A 
 
 RESIDENCE IN ENGLAND, 
 
 AND OF A 
 
 JOURNEY FROM AND TO SYRIA, 
 
 OF THEIR ROYAL HIGHNESSES 
 
 REEZA KOOLEE MEERZA, NAJAF KOOLEE MEERZA, 
 AND TAYMOOR MEERZA, OF PERSIA. 
 
 TO WHICH ARE PREFIXED 
 
 SOME PARTICULARS RESPECTING MODERN PERSIA 
 
 AND THE 
 
 I3tati) of ti)t late ^\)ai). 
 
 ORIGINALLY WRITTEN IN PERSIAN, 
 
 BY H. R. H. NAJAF KOOLEE MEERZA, 
 
 Son of Prince Firman Firman, Grandson of H. M. Fathali 
 Shah, the late Emperor of Persia ; 
 
 AND TRANSLATED, WITH EXPLANATORY NOTES, 
 
 BY ASSAAD Y. KAYAT. 
 
 IN TWO VOLUMES. 
 VOL. II. 
 
 PRINTED FOR PRIVATE CIRCULATION ONLY.
 
 WILLIAM TYLER, 
 
 PRINTER. 
 
 BOLT-COURT, LONDON.
 
 D 
 
 CONTENTS OF VOL. II. 
 
 Page 
 Dinners at the Marquis of Salisbury's, Lord Palmer- 
 
 ston's, &c 1 
 
 Description of the Railroads . . . . .10 
 Account of London, and of England in general . . 17 
 
 Account of Bavaiia, &c 200 
 
 Account of Passports ....... 201 
 
 Account of Hungary . 209 
 
 Account of Austria, &c 215 
 
 Account of Walachia . . . . . . .2.37 

 
 JOUENAL 
 
 PERSIAN PRINCES. 
 
 Friday the 12th, we were imated to the Marquis 
 of SaHsbury's, where we met a noble assemblage, 
 similar to that which we have already described. 
 Many of the nobility and gentry of this kingdom 
 were present at this assembly, all splendidly 
 dressed, and all imited in dancing. We took our 
 seats at one side, gazing at this adorned party, 
 among which we admired many angelic faces. 
 The expenses of this entertainment must have 
 been a considerable sum, and we in every respect 
 were quite pleased with our visit. 
 
 Saturday evening the 13th, we were invited by 
 
 VOL. II. B 
 
 r
 
 2 JOURNAL OF 
 
 Mr. White, a friend and agent of Farren Saheb,* 
 the consul-general at Damascus. Here we took 
 dinner, where also we met some other friends, and 
 verily it was a very pleasant, lovely party. 
 
 Sunday evening the 14th, we went to the enter- 
 tainment of Lord Palmerston, the Vizir for Foreign 
 affairs. When we entered the house we did not 
 find him present. We asked about him, the other 
 guests present informed us that news had just 
 arrived that the king of the French had recently 
 received a signal mercy of G od, in a very narrow 
 escape from being shot by a person, who fired at 
 him ; this happened as follows : This dishonour- 
 able assassin had for some time in view to destroy 
 the Shah, but he could not find an opportunity, 
 on account of the life guards surrounding the 
 king. At this time he loaded a gun, it is said, 
 with twenty-five bullets, and approached the Ba- 
 dishah w^hile he had only seven attendants. He 
 suddenly fired the gun at the king, six of the 
 attendants were killed, and the king was saved. 
 After this had taken place, the king called together 
 
 * Saheb expresses Esquiic, Friend, :ind Mr.
 
 THE PERSIAN PRINCES. O 
 
 his Government, informing them of this terrible 
 outrage. The assassin was taken up, and was sent 
 before the house of justice. This event had taken 
 place this morning at Paris, and the news reached 
 Lord Palmerston about sunset of the same day, 
 although the distance is about 300 miles ; thus Lord 
 Pahnerston went to present the news before the 
 throne of his Majesty. In the mean time, I held 
 some conversation with the ambassador of tlie 
 Grand Seignior, and with the Vizir of Hindoostan, 
 and the other vizirs who were present at the same 
 entertainment. An hour after, Lord Palmerston 
 returned from the royal palace and presented us 
 his excuse, and then we went to dinner. It was a 
 very large table, the vessels of which were of gold. 
 All kinds of nice and delicious dishes were served. 
 After the dishes were removed, then was brought 
 to the table all sorts of sweets and fruits. We 
 have here observed all fruits that we ever saw, 
 besides many kinds that we had not before seen, 
 such as are imported from India, the New World, 
 and Africa ; all could not grow at the same seasons, 
 yet all looked as if they had just been plucked 
 from the tree. We then asked how it was ma-
 
 * JOURNAL OF 
 
 naged, to have such fruits out of their season, 
 and so fresh. They said, that most of them grow 
 in hot-houses, and some are carefully preserved. 
 Even the pistachio nuts grow here better than in 
 their own chmate. All other fruits of hot coun- 
 tries, such as melons, musk-melons, grapes, pome- 
 granates, apricots, peaches, &;c. were on the table 
 quite fresh, and all sorts of lemons, oranges, ci- 
 trons, quinces, &c. were also placed on the table. 
 Perhaps such an entertainment might have cost 
 seven or eight thousand tomans, because a sheep 
 here is worth eight tomans, and fruit is very dear, 
 a melon is worth ten tomans, and a bunch of grapes 
 is worth three tomans, and a damask plum one 
 toman. Notwithstanding these dear prices, they 
 give such entertainments. In truth, it was a noble 
 party, and we spent some very, pleasant hours of 
 the night, conversing on interesting topics, and 
 afterwards returned to our mansion. 
 
 Monday the 15th, we were invited to Moham- 
 med Ismael Khan's ; he offered us some fine re- 
 freshments, and we conversed together on some 
 Arabic and Persian poetry. He is a well educated 
 gentleman and of excellent manners. His harem
 
 THE PERSIAN PRINCES. 6 
 
 (lady) is an Indian, a pious and religious Moham- 
 medan ; she left home for the desire of visiting the 
 most holy sacred house of God.* Now when she 
 was informed of us, and being of the same reli- 
 gion, she came to see us. She complained muchf 
 of her residence with the infidels, and said, " I came 
 out from my country, most anxious and desirous 
 to be honoured in the most holy house, and now, 
 it is four months since I came to this country, 
 where I have not yet seen anyone of the believers." 
 Then she wept very bitterly, and begged me to 
 hear her read some chapter in the most glorious 
 book. I accepted her request, and allowed her 
 to fetch the holy book, when she was exceedingly 
 happy to repeat a few verses. Afterwards she 
 begged that we would come and dine with them on 
 some day, when she intends to cook some nice 
 dishes with her own hands ; she said also, that she 
 
 * Mecca, 
 t 1 was with the Prince, and afterwards I visited her again; she taking 
 me for a Mussulman, desired mc to read witl) licr the Koran : I did 
 so ; she then requested me, as often as I could, to give her some les- 
 sons in the same book. I think that she did not complain so much 
 of licr residence among the Infidels, as she did of her husband's at- 
 tending the most lieliglitful English parties, and his enjoying such 
 society. 
 
 B 2
 
 b JOURNAL OF 
 
 had already bought a lamb for ten tomans and 
 desired to kill it,* and eat it with some friends ; 
 such as we are. So we accepted her invitation, 
 which was for the following Friday. 
 
 Tuesday the 16th, Noori Effendi, the ambassa- 
 dor of Sultan Mohammed, called to see us; he 
 manifested his friendsliip, and we did the same. 
 In the evening, we went to the opera ; where a 
 new representation with dancing took place, hke 
 that already mentioned and more. 
 
 Wednesday the 17th, we visited the King's Col- 
 lege, having been beforehand invited by the pro- 
 fessors. This college is one of the institutions 
 of tliis country. It is a very large, lofty edifice, 
 of numerous apartments, enough to accommodate 
 10,000 scholars; there have already been in it that 
 number of students, endeavouring to obtain thewon- 
 derful sciences. Each class has a different depart- 
 ment ; one day in the year all the students meet 
 hi a large, lofty room. On this day many of the 
 nobihty and gentry come to this assembly. Then 
 
 • Our readers ■will recollect, that the Mohammedans observe the 
 same law, of killing animals, as the Jews ; in consequence, consider the 
 meat in Christendom as unlawful.
 
 THE PERSIAN PRINCES. 7 
 
 the students of different classes present themselves, 
 and every one stands before his professor, in the 
 presence of the college agent, and gives a proof 
 of his progress in his studies. Many questions 
 are put to him on different points, which he ought 
 to answer, to show his quaUfications, which if great 
 would be also an honour to his teacher. When 
 he satisfies the examiner, a prize of twenty tomans 
 immediately is presented to him, generally a hand- 
 some book wath gold binding. As soon as he re- 
 ceives his prize, he is applauded by perhaps 40,000 
 persons who may be present ; it is done by clapping 
 of hands. In the evening we visited a large gar- 
 den, beautifully lighted up, and the fireworks that 
 we saw here made us forget all others we had already 
 seen. A garden, a heaven, large, adorned with 
 roses of different colours in every direction, the 
 water was running on the beautiful green, pictures 
 were drawn on every wall. Here and tliere were 
 young moonly faces selling refreshments. There 
 were burning in this place about two millions of 
 lights, each giving a different colour ; the lanterns 
 and lights are so arranged as to make poetry, in 
 such a manner that they have no end. On every
 
 8 JOURNAL OF 
 
 side there appeared the moon, and the sun, with 
 the planets, each moving in its orbit ; and in every 
 Vi^alk there were about 10,000 Frank moons,* 
 walking and gazing about, where the roses and 
 their tribes were admiring their beautiful cheeks. 
 Each was taken by the hand, such a company in 
 such a place says to the soul, Behold thy para- 
 dise ! — pleasure and joy appear ; woes and sor- 
 rows are banished ; — every hand asked for a glass 
 of refreshment to present to the possessors 
 of jasmine hands. Thus we were happy to 
 have in each hand a paradisean companion, and 
 to point out the beauties of the place, in order 
 to draw forth the sweet music of their re- 
 plies ; we left the rose and met a pink ! are 
 we awake or in a dream ? We walked in this gar- 
 den from one place to another, till we came 
 to a place where we saw crowds of people 
 gazing at a boy elegantly clad who was playing on 
 a rope ; now we were as though we had lost our 
 mind. This rope was made fast high above in the 
 garden, on which this boy was dancing ; indeed he 
 was like a bird with wings in the air. Afterwards 
 
 * English laJies.
 
 THE PERSIAN PRINCES. 9 
 
 a young [ and beautiful girl handsomely dressed 
 increased our surprise, she joined the boy, and they 
 played together in a most wonderful manner, 
 enough to take away the senses to look at them. 
 When the boy and girl had finished their ma- 
 noeuvres, the people in the garden went to 
 another place, where there was a wheel which was 
 set on fire : as soon as it was lighted it began to 
 ascend, throwing out fire of red, green, blue, j^el- 
 low, and other colours wonderfully, as if all the 
 world had taken fire, and continued to ascend till 
 it reached the sky. All this was done without 
 giving any unpleasant smell of powder. The 
 people that make such fireworks, derive a large 
 income from it ; also the Treasury receives a great 
 annual sum from them. We had an exceedingly 
 interesting exhibition, and returned home perfectly 
 satisfied wdth our visit. 
 
 Thursday the 18th, we visited that place which is 
 celebrated over all the world. This was the Thames 
 Tunnel, the construction of which would never 
 enter the human mind. The noble river Thames 
 is navigable for ships of the line ; the ships pass 
 over the heads of the people in the following
 
 10 JOURNAL OF 
 
 manner : The learned men of England in their 
 wisdom have dug a tunnel under this river. It 
 is constructed in the form of arches, and mira- 
 culously lighted vs^ith gas, and it is free from all 
 damp. Thus they have most wonderfully succeeded 
 in making a road under the water, Kke a bridge 
 under the sea, from one side of the river to the 
 other. To this we call the attention of all travellers. 
 In truth, it may be called a glory of this country, 
 and the name is a sufficient reward for the millions 
 of money that have been spent. It is established 
 by the law that any person who passes this tunnel 
 must pay a certain sum, so that in a short time they 
 may receive what they have spent. After this we 
 went to the road of iron, or raih'oad, which is 
 near the Tunnel. On railroads there are steam- 
 coaches, which go at the incredible rate of forty 
 miles an hour. 
 
 Description of the Railroads. 
 
 The wise and learned men of the Franks 
 knowing that expedition in passing over great
 
 THE PERSIAN PRINCES. 11 
 
 distances would be of immense advantage^ the 
 learned English in the New World invented first 
 steam vessels, and afterwards they were used by 
 other nations. All the wonderful arts which require 
 strong power are carried on by means of steam, 
 which has rendered immense profits and advantages. 
 The English then began to think of steam coaches, 
 which are especially applicable to their coun- 
 tiy, because it is small, but contains an enormous 
 population. Therefore, in order to do away with 
 the necessity for horses, and that the land which is 
 sown with horse-corn should be cultivated with 
 wheat, so as to cause it to become much more 
 plentiful, (as it is the most important article of 
 food,) and that England might thereby support 
 a much greater population, they have with 
 their ingenious skill invented this miraculous 
 wonder, so as to have railroads from the capital 
 to all parts of the kingdom. Thus, by geome- 
 trical wisdom, they have made roads of iron, and 
 where it was necessary these roads are elevated on 
 arches. The roads on wliich the coaches are 
 placed and fixed are made of iron bars. The 
 coach is so fixed that no air or wind can do it
 
 12 JOURNAL OF 
 
 any harm, and twenty or thirty coaches may be 
 fixed to tlie first in the train, and these one after 
 the other. All that seems to draw these coaches 
 is a box of iron, in which they put water to boil, as 
 in a fire-place ; miderneath this iron box is like an 
 urn, and from it rises the steam which gives the 
 wonderful force : when the steam rises up, the wheels 
 take their motion, the coach spreads its wings, and 
 the travellers become like birds. In this way 
 these coaches go the incredible distance of forty 
 miles an hour. We actually travelled in this coach, 
 and we found it very agreeable, and it does not 
 give more but even less motion than horses; when- 
 ever we came to the sight of a distant place, in a 
 second we passed it. The little steam engine pos- 
 sesses the power of eighteen horses. These roads 
 are made for two coaches, one to go and another 
 to come ; there are also paths for people on foot. 
 The box that raises the steam is joined to another, 
 and the steam goes from the one to the other, 
 where it dissolves into water ; they do not require 
 water but once in three days. In time, these 
 valuable roads will be estabHshed all over Europe, 
 and which will render the shareholders an enor- 
 
 9
 
 THE PERSIAN PRINCES. 13 
 
 mous income. To-day, we paid a visit to two 
 most interesting objects. 
 
 Friday the 18th, we went out of the Capital 
 to a city forty miles off. Here, there is a large 
 river, over which they construct in five minutes 
 a complete bridge, on which carriages of artillery 
 and horses, &c. might pass in perfect safety. In 
 the same manner the bridge is withdrawn in five 
 minutes. We had a very good exhibition, but the 
 distance was great ; and, we being engaged to-day 
 to dine with Mohammed Ismael Khan, we tried 
 if possible to return in time for dinner, but it was 
 not possible, even two horses were nearly killed, 
 and did not arrive at the time. But brother Wali 
 having remained at home went to that party at the 
 fixed dinner time. There he met the son of Tippoo 
 Sultan ; after dinner he returned home. 
 
 Tuesday the 19th, I went in the morning to the 
 house of Mohammed Ismael Khan, offering excuse 
 for not being able to attend the night before. 
 Afterwards we paid a visit to Sir John Hobhouse, 
 the Vizir of the East Indies. He was sitting in his 
 magnificent apartments, and we had with him 
 some conversation respecting our affairs and those 
 
 VOL. II. C
 
 14 JOURNAL OF 
 
 of Persia in general, and afterwards we returned to 
 our residence, and on this day, three hours before 
 sunset, we went to the house of Woolock Saheb, 
 who had invited us to dinner. He was formerly 
 ambassador in Persia for twenty-two years, and 
 knew both the language and customs very well. 
 Here we met several personages who had been 
 formerly in Persia as ambassadors and residents, 
 who also spoke the language, and others who ob- 
 tained our language in the East Indies. Here we 
 were shown many books in Persian, and several 
 other things from the East. This house is beau- 
 tifully situated on the bank of the river Thames, 
 and has a most pleasant garden, and excellent air. 
 Among the trees of roses we took a walk, and 
 afterwards we entered a boat to look at the noble 
 river, where we saw a new art which we had not 
 before seen. It was a bridge of iron, constructed 
 as follows : — 
 
 There are two lofty arches erected on both 
 banks of the river, on these arches there are fixed 
 two very thick chains of iron, and bars of iron 
 like planks were placed on these chains, over which 
 were fixed the planks of wood. They could in
 
 THE PERSIAN PRINCES. 15 
 
 ten minutes fix or unfix this great bridge, hanging 
 sometimes as if it were in the air. After we had 
 well examined this, we returned to the house ; 
 the dinner was served, consisting of all kinds of 
 nice dishes, delicious sweets and fruits, and the 
 conversation was kept up in Persian. After we 
 had spent some very pleasant hotirs of the night 
 
 we left, and called upon Lady C , sister to 
 
 Lord M , the Vizir Azam, (or prime Minis- 
 ter). All the vizirs, princes, nobles of this Daw- 
 let (or Government) were present at this assembly, 
 and we were introduced to each other, and formed 
 their acquaintance, including Lord M him- 
 self, and all manifested to us their friendship : here 
 also we met Lord G — — — , the Vizir of the New 
 World, who invited us to dinner. We remained 
 till nearly the morning at this happy assembly, all 
 the time admiring the angelic faces. 
 
 Sunday the 20th, we remained at home, when 
 many friends of the nobility came to see us. 
 
 Monday the 21st, about the Asser, we went to 
 the house of a very great Nobleman, Duke of B., 
 who is also richer than any other of the nobility 
 of this kingdom. Majestic splendour and impe-
 
 16 JOURNAL OF 
 
 rial greatness appeared at his house. Many 
 princes, vizirs and nobles, were present at this 
 assembly, also many handsome ladies sunk in 
 jewels and precious stones, the beauty of whom 
 made the sun that illuminates the world look 
 ashamed of itself. His house is situated on the 
 river Thames, where many of the young nobility 
 and great personages were in their boats, betting 
 with each other about their best saihng. The band 
 of musicians were also standing by. The one who 
 beats, receives the high tune of praise from the 
 musicians, and the beautiful ladies clap their 
 hands, burning the hearts of their admirers. In 
 several directions of the garden, were tables fur- 
 nished with all sorts of sweets and refreshments 
 for the pleasure of the visitors. More than 200,000 
 tomans on this day changed owners. Here also we 
 met the Shah Zadeh,* the Duke of Cumberland, 
 a brother of the Badishah : his Royal Highness 
 showed us the utmost politeness of friendship. 
 He is a true noble Prince, and a kind friend. 
 Tuesday the 12th. About noon we went to a 
 
 ♦ Royal Prince, but literally, it means son of a King.
 
 THE PERSIAN PRINCES. 17 
 
 jeweller's shop. Praise be to God! what a num- 
 ber of most valuable jewels ! what a quantity of 
 gold vessels ! how beautifully they are made ! in 
 fact, the mind cannot but be astonished. This is 
 a mercantile shop of the city of London. We 
 left tliis shop quite surprised at the wealth of this 
 country. On our way to this mansion we observed 
 some domes (balloons) flying to heaven, and men 
 in them ; this is as great a miracle as any. 
 
 Account of London, and of this kingdom in general. 
 
 This kingdom consists of three great divisions, 
 viz., England, Scotland, and Ireland. Scotland 
 is connected with England, Ireland is a separate 
 island. These islands are surrounded by the Great 
 Sea and the North Sea. These islands are bounded 
 northward by the North Sea. (In this direction 
 by sea, there is no habitation till the New World, 
 a distance of upwards of 2000 miles.) Southward 
 it is bounded by France, which is separated from 
 this country by a channel of twenty-three miles in 
 width, which is crossed in three hours : westward 
 c 2
 
 18 JOURNAL OF 
 
 by the Atlantic Ocean, and eastward by Gennany. 
 Between England and Ireland is a channel fifteen 
 miles broad. They are under the 51st degree of 
 latitude, and according to the four divisions of the 
 world, they are in Europe. Being near the north 
 pole, England has a very cold cUmate ; so irre- 
 gular is the weather, that in four hours you 
 may experience the four seasons of the year. 
 It is generally cloudy, and the four seasons have 
 no separate ranks. Even in summer it is cloudy 
 and rainy. Owing to the constant rains in all 
 seasons, the whole country is green as a garden of 
 emerald colours. Thus aU the quadrupeds here 
 enjoy the green which they eat all the year long. 
 Sometimes it happens, that for a month or forty 
 days they do not see the sun, and the air 
 becomes damp. The length of their days, from 
 daybreak till sunset, grows from the beginning of 
 Cancer as long as eighteen hours and a half, 
 and the nights, from the beginning of Capricornus, 
 are eighteen hours and a half. Most of the 
 public affairs are decided at night. These islands 
 are 3000 miles round. Their population is 
 27,000,000, which is equal to fifty-four kerrors of
 
 THE PERSIAN PRINCES. 19 
 
 Persia. The revenue to government, the whole 
 of which is spent, is 60,000,000, or 120 kerrors 
 of ours. But when government goes to war, they 
 raise much more money. Tliis took place during 
 the war with Buonaparte, when the people gave 
 the wonderful sum of 840 millions, which was 
 spent dui'ing the said war. There are to he 
 found in these islands mines of gold, silver, lead, 
 tin, mercury, iron, and salt. But the greatest 
 of their mines, (which are like gold mines,) are 
 their coal mines, which are essential to all their 
 steam inventions hoth for vessels, railroads, and ma- 
 nufactures. The income of their precious coal 
 mines is two hundred kerrors and a half per day. 
 The capital of this kingdom is the celebrated 
 London. Although in all the kingdom there is not 
 a span of land uncultivated or without habitation, 
 and we might call it all one city, yet London by 
 itself is a Dooniachah, or MvKpoKotTfjLos. It contains 
 a population of 2,000,000. This extraordinary 
 amount is known by the census ; even the houses 
 are numbered. There are people who are worth 
 millions of money ; indeed, unless a person should 
 be very rich, he could not enjoy life in this
 
 20 JOURNAL OF 
 
 capital. If a man gets short of money, he would 
 be obKged to sell his house and leave the city. 
 The competition of multitudes of people causes 
 the land all over the kingdom to be exceedingly 
 dear. Inside the city of London, a foot of ground 
 may be worth a hundred tomans. Some houses, 
 with a little garden in them, may be worth to a 
 person the sum of 300,000 and 400,000 tomans. 
 London is one of the largest cities in the world, 
 which are as follows : — first, London, the capital 
 of this kingdom ; second, Paris ; third, Pekin, the 
 capital of China. Although Pekin js not so 
 beautiful and complete as London, yet Pekin 
 has been estimated to contain a population of 
 3,000,000 ; fourth, Astambool, or Constantino- 
 ple ; fifth, Rome, the capital of the Romans ; * 
 sixth, Vienna, the capital of the Emperor of Aus- 
 tria ; seventh, Petersburgh, the capital of Russia. 
 The greatest, the most populous, the most noble 
 of them, is London. The river Thames passes 
 through it. Although the water of the river 
 Thames is not more than that of the Euphrates, and 
 perhaps less, yet the English, by their wisdom 
 and skill, have made it navigable for ships of the
 
 THE PERSIAN PRINCES. 21 
 
 line. There are over it twelve wonderful bridges, 
 each of which cost three kerrors, and perhaps 
 some of them four or five kerrors. One of these 
 bridges is made of iron, without being mixed with 
 a piece of stone or plank, which is distinct from 
 the other bridge of iron that I have already men- 
 tioned. The ships on this river are like forests. 
 The large men-of-war are 1200 in number, some of 
 which are of 1 20 guns ; these, besides the packets and 
 steamers. The least of their navy carries thirty guns. 
 The British mercantile vessels are above 25,000, 
 such is their extreme and extensive commerce. 
 Indeed, the English power on the sea is so great, 
 even that the present sovereign, during the reign 
 of Ills brother, was the Lord High Admiral, and 
 he spent a very long time of his life on the seas. 
 In fine, all the ships of other nations on the 
 globe could not equal the number of the English 
 ships alone, nor ten foreign men-of-war stand in 
 battle against one English ; they have always 
 been victorious over their enemies. One of the 
 twelve vizirs of government has the management 
 of the navy ; he is called the High Lord of the 
 Admiralty ; Lord Minto fills this high station at
 
 22 
 
 JOURNAL OF 
 
 present. In his hand is the direction of the 
 whole navy. Besides the above-mentioned ships, 
 they have innumerable others in the West and 
 East Indies, in America^ and AustraHa, which are 
 called out at the time of necessity. The water of the 
 river Thames is very heavy, and not at all good for 
 the digestion, nor could it ever produce an appe- 
 tite. Yet the people of this country do not use 
 water as a drink ; when it is necessary they take 
 a little, once in three or four days. 
 
 The principal arts and manufactures are out of 
 the city ; the goods are brought into the town for 
 sale ready made. The shops in this city and the 
 streets are as follows : In every street there is the 
 light of many thousand moons put together. All 
 the houses are of five stories high, and have 
 windows with glass, looking to the streets. All 
 round the outside of the houses there are fine 
 balustrades of elegant iron bars, which are truly 
 admirable. Their doors are beautifully worked, 
 and many have gold knockers of a hundred tomans' 
 value. The houses are regularly numbered, and 
 the names of the proprietors are written upon 
 them, and those that are in business have their
 
 THE PERSIAN PRINCES. 23 
 
 profession written on the doors of their houses. 
 Thus, for example : if a man wishes to write to 
 another, he has only to know the name of the 
 individual, and from the book printed for the pur- 
 pose can find liis address. Thus he is guided, and 
 may addi'ess the letter according to the book. In 
 every street there are boxes where he can put the 
 letter, which will be forwarded, and may obtain 
 an answer through the same means. By such 
 extraordinary facilities their business is con- 
 ducted. Many other such advantages they have 
 for their aifairs, which at first would appear as 
 incredible ; but by examining them, you will find 
 that every man is furnished with such preparation 
 as to perform his work without the least trouble. 
 As to fruits, those of both cold and warm climates, 
 are made to grow here in hot-houses, as already 
 mentioned, but very dear. Some fruits and other 
 eatables are imported from other countries: wine 
 also of different kinds, which is to them a staff of 
 life, is imported from foreign countries, for they 
 have not a drop of their own produce. Most of 
 their necessary articles are also brought from other 
 parts : such as cotton, wool, sugar, rice, coffee, &c. ;
 
 24 JOURNAL OF 
 
 corn also is imported; most of these articles are 
 brought from the New World, which itself for- 
 merly used to import them from the East Indies, 
 but now they cultivate them themselves, and stand 
 in no need of other places ; especially they cultivate 
 the ginger, which is as fine as the snow, and superior 
 to any of other countries. It is so rich in soil 
 that it produces enough for the home consumption, 
 and also to export to England and other kingdoms 
 of Europe. The most important article from the 
 East Indies is cotton : vessels daily arrive in Eng- 
 land loaded with this article. The cotton manu- 
 factory in this kingdom has risen to such a height 
 that they bring the raw materials from such a 
 distance of five months' passage : they pay taxes 
 thereon ; but their wonderful machines and skill 
 enable them to make such an enormous profit; 
 that is, they send it back manufactured or twisted, 
 and make thereby wonderful gain. Indeed they 
 export their cotton manufactures to all parts of 
 the world. In a word, they gathered up to them- 
 selves all the arts of all parts. Their commerce 
 is attended to, and every thing is watched to pro- 
 tect it. If any individual or individuals invent or
 
 THE PERSIAN PRINCES. 25 
 
 propose to bring forward any thing which may 
 seem to injure the public or the interest of com- 
 merce, whatever its importance may be, it will not 
 be allowed by Government. In fact, every thing 
 that relates to this worldly prosperity is conducted 
 in perfect order. "What to us may appear difficult 
 to the mind, to them is very easy. The people 
 of this kingdom are of genteel nature, and dehcate 
 constitution; most of the ladies, and females in 
 general, are more delicate and rejEined than the 
 blossom of roses. Their waist is more slender 
 than a finger ring, their form is beautiful, their 
 voice gains the affections. The men are very 
 particular in their disputes, which are carried on 
 with great ability. If there should be the widest 
 possi])le misunderstanding, still they keep up the 
 rules of poKteness. If it should rise so high as 
 to produce vindictive feeling, still they carry on 
 their disputes in a genteel style, and bad language 
 (God forbid !) is not used. To be called a liar 
 is the utmost insult : this will lead to a duel ; the 
 duel is allowed here. Sometimes this happens in 
 such circumstances as the following : If a man 
 should be at an assembly, and should have some- 
 VOL. II. D
 
 26 JOURNAL OF 
 
 thing said to him improper or disgraceful, he 
 who feels it to be such would at once leave the 
 room. Then he will relate it to some friend, 
 sa3dng, that he heard so and so, at such a place, in 
 such a party, which he did not like at all. Then 
 his friend will reply, " So and so perhaps did not 
 intend to insult you, he might have said it by 
 accident, write a note, and I will carry it to him, 
 and learn more fully." Then the plaintiff will write 
 to him a respectful letter as follows : " At such 
 and such a day, at such an assemblage, I heard 
 you say such words which made my heart feel 
 angry, please to explain to me what you meant." 
 Then the friend will carry the note, and request an 
 answer. If the object of the accused is not to 
 insult him, he will write him an answer as follows : 
 " Upon my honoiir I never intended to create any 
 displeasure in you, and should I have said any thing 
 which you consider improper I now beg your par- 
 don." Such an answer will settle the question. 
 But if otherwise, he will neither excuse liimself 
 nor beg pardon, but will answer as follows : " I have 
 received your letter, wliich I will thus answer: meet 
 me on such a day, at such a place, and therebyyou
 
 THE PERSIAN PRINCES. 
 
 27 
 
 will be informed, and learn all the particulars." 
 This will give him to understand that the object 
 is a duel. Then he informs his friends of it, 
 and commences preparations to meet his oppo- 
 nent, and hkewise the other will inform his friends 
 that he has already appointed the time to fight 
 with such a man. Then the friends of both 
 endeavour to settle the question between them, 
 but generally, this cannot be effected without 
 fighting the duel. However, when all mediations 
 fail, then the two individuals, accompanied by 
 their respective friends as witnesses, meet at the 
 appointed place, exactly at the fixed hour, which 
 will be pubHshed in the newspapers. When the 
 two come to this place with their pistols, then the 
 friends use their utmost influence of mediation ; 
 if at last all should be in vain, then they separate 
 from each other a distance of twenty feet, and the 
 signal will be given when both fire. Then it becomes 
 a matter of chance ; sometimes both of them are 
 hit and perish, and perhaps no one is hit, or one 
 dies, and the other is saved. Thus the question is 
 finished ; this act is permitted by their law which 
 does not condemn it, and it has been a well-known
 
 28 JOURNAL OF 
 
 practice among the fools of this nation from the 
 ancient times. 
 
 It is quite similar to the old foolish custom of 
 the heathens, who threw both the plaintiff and 
 defendant into the fire, believing that the flame 
 would only burn the criminal and not the inno- 
 cent. Thus, also, these people believe that the 
 bullet will not hit the innocent, and this old 
 foolish custom is continued among the imprudent 
 class of the Franks ; this, however, takes place 
 more in France than other parts. Just at this 
 time we observed in the newspaper that a great 
 man in that country had been killed in this 
 act. 
 
 In fine, in former times, the Franks, especially 
 those of England, were like animals and quad- 
 rupeds, and had no arts of any description. They 
 dwelt in forests, mountains, and the extreme 
 coasts of the sea, dressed in the skins of animals, 
 eating the natural productions of the earth, and 
 if they had a king, they sometimes killed liim ; and 
 likewise their kings killed many of the people. 
 These oppressions, outrages, and violations caused 
 always quarrels between the kings and their sub-
 
 THE PERSIAN PRINCES. 29 
 
 jects. Many people, during the Height of oppres- 
 sion, had no rest, and were obliged to abandon 
 the country, and go to the New World and other 
 parts. It appears that at different times, accord- 
 ing to the wisdom of the Lord the Omnipotent, 
 oppression falls upon the people in different king- 
 doms, according to the state of their hearts. 
 These horrible outrages which at this time are 
 practised to their extreme in the Asiatic kingdoms, 
 are entirely banished from Europe, where there is 
 no oppression, and cannot be. In all parts and 
 cities of England which we visited, the inhabitants 
 are a very high-minded people, and conduct their 
 affairs with perfect prudence, so much so, that 
 they have no governors, nor do they require civil 
 power. All of them know the law, and what is 
 justice : they obey their laws, which are founded 
 on liberty. Every person enjoys this liberty, 
 and acts according to its laws. Vizirs, princes, 
 even the king himself, has no power to kill a bird. 
 For instance, should the king fire at a bird during 
 the prohibited season, he must stand before the 
 law, and receive the decision thereof; in short, 
 every person is under the law. Slavery among
 
 30 JOURNAL OF 
 
 them is prohibited and forbidden ; and if a man 
 should come here with a negro, the slave, the mo- 
 ment that his foot reaches the English land, is free. 
 Their love of liberty is beyond measure ; so much 
 so, that at present they have abolished slavery in 
 their colonies, in the following manner. 
 
 Their colonies in the West Indies and other 
 parts, are beautifully and richly cultivated, where 
 also all kinds of arts are employed ; they are in- 
 debted for this to the quantity of water and good 
 soil which they enjoy, yet almost all the work was 
 done by negro slaves, both male and female, who 
 were bought and imported by the colonists from 
 the coast of Africa. These slaves were employed 
 in cultivating the sugar plant. But when the 
 English at home began to think that all these 
 productions of the colonies, which they received 
 and ate daily, were cultivated by the forced labour 
 of the slaves, and that if they compelled their 
 masters to free them, the colonies would greatly 
 suffer; at last, after discussing this matter for 
 a month, the nation at home liberally granted the 
 enormous sum of twenty millions of pounds ster- 
 ling to the colonists to free the slaves. Thus they
 
 THE PERSIAN PRINCES. 31 
 
 were liberated, and the trade was abolislied, and 
 those people who were once slaves, will now grow up 
 as independent men, seeking after knowledge and 
 fame. The English are not accustomed to enter- 
 tain strangers in their houses like the Easterns ; 
 and unless they see some prospect of advantage, 
 they will not spend a dinar.* But when they ob- 
 serve a prospect of gain they spend millions : they 
 even plant now, and have no objection to gather 
 the fruit after a hundred years. 
 
 In charity, and supporting the poor and or- 
 phans, they are exceedingly liberal ; so much so, 
 that they give ten per cent, per annum of their 
 income to institutions of charity. On account of 
 the dear prices of living, there may be, out of the 
 27,000,000 of population, 7,000,000 poor ; but 
 not a single person begs in the streets, nor in any 
 part of the kingdom ; in fact, if there should be 
 any one begging, he would be taken up imme- 
 diately and punished for it, as it is against the 
 law ; because, in every quarter, there is a house 
 built on purpose for charity, where the poor are 
 accommodated. An agent is appointed for it, 
 who receives the revenue from the good men, and 
 
 • A tliousand dinars make a shilling.
 
 32 JOURNAL OF 
 
 spends it on clothing and maintaining the poor 
 comfortably. There is also in every part an hos- 
 pital: these hospitals are for the sick poor, are 
 beautifully built, and have many bequests, giving 
 large incomes, which are spent for the relief and 
 cure of the poor, who are also attended by well- 
 paid medical men and surgeons of first-rate ability, 
 with servants always on duty, in short, every thing 
 of clothing and diet, that is most suitable to sick 
 people. These hospitals have agents with salaries, 
 to see that every thing is right, and to collect the 
 income ; the agent must also present an account 
 once in six months to the society, and if the 
 revenue has not been enough, they will make it up 
 with all their hearts, and if it should be more, then 
 they put it to interest, by which they increase the 
 income of the institution. All these institutions 
 have taken their rise within a period of two hun- 
 dred and ninety years. Before that time the people 
 were wild beings, and now they cultivate all branches 
 of science, so much so, that their children are sci- 
 entifically educated, and speak twenty languages. 
 They do not spend one moment in vain. Great 
 and small, old and young, every one is endeavour-
 
 THE PERSIAN PRINCES. 33 
 
 ing to enlarge his interest. Perhaps, out of this 
 27,000,000 of population, there is not a single 
 soul who does not know how to read and write, 
 not even the dumb, deaf, or bHnd. They do 
 not give credit for fine hand-^vriting ; they say, 
 writing is good enough if it can be read, and they 
 do not spend the time simply in learning a beau- 
 tiful hand. They have several thousand colleges 
 and schools, for instructing in every class of learn- 
 ing, on which they have spent miUions of money. 
 All this for education and wisdom. Verily, such 
 a magnificent kingdom and high nation is not, in 
 these times, in any other part of the world, nor 
 has such an one been, even in ancient times, men- 
 tioned in the histories. Their wealth comes from 
 their arts and extensive commerce, and they daily 
 find new inventions, and make others grow jealous. 
 They send out their vessels with their artificial 
 articles, and in return receive them laden with 
 solid gold. They have no desire of gaining pos- 
 session of other comitries, nor of raising money 
 by their civil power. They say, "If we take 
 possession of foreign countries, and wdsh to keep 
 them in a good condition, and have the natives
 
 34 JOURNAL OF 
 
 satisfied, we must then spend in that country 
 whatever income we may raise ; if not, the people 
 will not be satisfied, and the country will never ad- 
 vance. Abetter possession than the East Indies there 
 is not, where we have above 100,000,000 of sub- 
 jects: the ci\al income is about £50,000,000, which 
 are spent in it. The only interest we have in its 
 possession is for our commerce ; what is, there- 
 fore, the use of being at the expense of taking 
 other kingdoms, which would only give us trou- 
 ble, and be of no profit at all ? " Thus they do not 
 regard extensive lands. They like to be on good 
 terms ^vith all foreign powers, and desire peace to 
 rule over the face of the earth. They always 
 take great interest in estabhshing peace between 
 such powers as are at war, even if they spend 
 millions of money on it. Their object is to pre- 
 vent war, and keep the world in tranquillity ; their 
 policy in it is this, that war would take away the 
 security and happiness of the people, that com- 
 merce would be stopped, and their trade much 
 injured, which would be a great loss to their 
 revenue. But if the world remain in peace, their 
 goods will be always wanted, for which they re-
 
 THE PERSIAN PRINCES. 35 
 
 ceive gold. For this important principle, they 
 have a Board of Trade, whose duty it is to see 
 into and promote the welfare of commerce. There 
 are, also, for the encouragement of commerce, 
 some large establishments, called Offices of In- 
 surance, which are established by law, with mil- 
 lions of capital. For instance, if a man wishes 
 to send some goods to other countries, say to 
 Constantinople, or Damascus, and is afraid of loss 
 by sea, either by their being wrecked or burnt, 
 he need not be prevented by these suspicions. 
 He has only to send his goods on board, and get 
 a receipt for them from the captain, (wliich they 
 call a bill of lading ;) he then takes the receipt to 
 the insurance office, and declares the value of the 
 goods he has exported, and on every thousand 
 tomans, he pays the company ten tomans, (which 
 is one per cent ;) then he receives a written legal 
 contract from the company, that so and so has 
 insured such a sum on such goods, exported in 
 such a vessel, and that if any thing shoidd happen 
 to them either by fire or shipwreck, &c., the 
 company undertake to pay him for it. Thus the 
 merchant, with perfect safety, exports his goods.
 
 36 
 
 JOURNAL OF 
 
 There are also many other such establishments, 
 agamst fire and other accidents, the gains of which 
 are considerable, and their losses innumerable ; in 
 short, it is a kind of gambling. Verily, the com- 
 merce in this empire enjoys the utmost degree of 
 encouragement. 
 
 Living in this country is exceedingly difficult, 
 and to foreigners is impossible, every thing being 
 very dear, so much so, that the cost of living 
 like a poor man, is for one person a toman 
 per day, and that simply on bread alone. To 
 live comfortably it requires an expense of fifty 
 tomans per day. The charges on their w^ork- 
 manship are higher than the value of the origi- 
 nal ; for instance, you give to a goldsmith ten 
 drachms of gold to be made into a vessel, he 
 w^ill charge you for making it alone thirty 
 tomans, whereas you have not paid for the origi- 
 nal gold more than this sum. Likewise, a tailor 
 will charge, only for making a coat, five tomans 
 while the cloth itself is not worth more than 
 three. Thus all their charges are higher than 
 the value of the original materials. 
 
 Their dealings are in one word, that is, they
 
 THE PERSIAN PRINCES. 37 
 
 have one price. Whenever you go to a shop to 
 buy something, the seller will tell you his 
 price, either you must take it or leave it. If 
 you should offer him any thing less, it will be 
 considered as an insult to him. A part of their 
 currency is in stamped papers, sealed and signed 
 by Government ; they are as good as gold money. 
 Thus a man may carry in his pocket 100,000 
 tomans; this is to save the trouble of carrying 
 money about. These are called bank-notes, and 
 are from ten tomans to a thousand. They are 
 good in every part of the empire, and could be 
 changed in any city of Europe, but in the East 
 they do not pass, except in their Indian terri- 
 tories, or unless some English commercial house 
 should cash them. These notes render the Go- 
 vernment a large income. 
 
 When any thing happens that requires the Go- 
 vernment to carry it on vdth money, and the 
 people to support it, this is arranged in their 
 Parhament, that is, in the House of Commons, 
 which raises the money out of the taxes on lands, 
 vessels, hbuses, horses, customs, posts, public places, 
 cattle, &c. The duty on every tiling is regularly 
 
 VOL. II. E
 
 38 JOURNAL OF 
 
 fixed, and commissioners are appointed to pur- 
 chase what is necessary for Government. How- 
 ever, it will be better explained hereafter. 
 
 Their carts and carriages strike the observer very 
 much. A large tree, which would require 500 men 
 to carry it, may be easily transported to any dis- 
 tance, on a cart drawn by two or four horses. 
 They have also instructed their large dogs even to 
 draw carriages quickly. They are fond of dogs, 
 and take pains to teach them to become useful ; 
 they make them so serviceable that sometimes 
 they are sent on business. For instance, if a 
 man wants something from a shop that is 
 known to his dog, he wiU write a note to the 
 shopkeeper, asking for what he may want, then 
 he puts the note into a basket, and hangs it on 
 the dog's neck, and gives him a sign. The dog 
 will carry the message immediately, and return 
 to the satisfaction of his master. Many other 
 curious things are done by their dogs, not import- 
 ant to be mentioned. They do not keep any 
 useless animal; all that they keep must be of 
 use. If any should be of no use, they will dismiss 
 them. The English are very particular to raise
 
 THE PERSIAN PRINCES. 39 
 
 and cultivate the country, which they like should 
 be famous in this respect. They seek very much 
 after news, and every person, old and young, is 
 acquainted with the Government, its regulations 
 and arrangements. Every soul is at liberty to say 
 what he thinks of Government, and propose what 
 he approves. A man in tliis kingdom is not great 
 by being of a noble family, or a descendant of so 
 and so. The high are those that are superior in 
 mind. Many times a learned private individual 
 becomes a prime minister, and the son of the 
 prime minister, if he is not high-minded, will 
 be considered as a fool. When I say Govern- 
 ment, I should state that they who control it 
 are distinct from those who do the duties of 
 it. One is the Privy Council, and the other 
 the public Government. The Privy Coimcil is 
 the king and his vizirs or ministers. The public, 
 or general Government, are the whole people of 
 this kingdom, from the king to the poorest. 
 Every one has a right to vote. In fact, this 
 is the Government, because the Commons have 
 the pursue, and the voice in the whole affairs. As 
 every person has the right of directing the affairs, 
 therefore, all of them try to establish wliat is best
 
 40 JOURNAL OF 
 
 to them all. In this case, as all of them have the 
 power to think and to direct, yet it is impossible 
 to assemble the whole nation, to conduct the busi- 
 ness of government. This being impossible, there- 
 fore they established what is called a council or 
 Parhament. This Parliament consists of three 
 houses. First, the House of Commons, which 
 consists of 650 men, elected by the nation, and 
 of course what they say comes, as it were, from 
 the mouth of the whole people. These members 
 are some of the most learned and highest in mind 
 among their countrymen. Every member will 
 vote according to the wishes of those who send 
 him. It is the duty of this body to look after 
 the revenue of Government, how it comes, and 
 to take care that not a halfpenny is spent in vain. 
 The vizirs have the direction of the great affairs, 
 they constitute the Privy Government ; however, 
 I will explain this hereafter. 
 
 The second house of Parhament is the House 
 of Lords. Lords are peers, or like our khans. A 
 peer is such, either by inheritance, or being created 
 one by the king. Their house is between that 
 of the Commons and that of the King. All Eng-
 
 THE PERSIAN PRINCES. 41 
 
 lisli peers have a right to sit in the house, but 
 those of Scotland are only sixteen, and those of 
 Ireland are also of a limited number. In short, 
 their constitution consists of three divisions — first, 
 the House of Commons ; second, the House of 
 Lords, who are the pillars of the kingdom ; third, 
 the king and his vizirs, w^ho have in their hands 
 the actual direction of affairs. Every one of 
 these three divisions has a separate department in 
 the metropoHs. In fine, this Government, that is, 
 the Parliament and ministers, assemble in the 
 first month of the year. AU the agents of the 
 nation, who form the Houses of Commons and 
 Lords, wherever they may be, must come to Lon- 
 don at the said time, ready to take their seats in 
 Parliament. The king, wherever he may be, 
 will come to the capital. The king on this day 
 opens Parliament, an-ayed in all his majestic 
 splendour and state, with the crown on liis head, 
 escorted by his life-guards. Then he sits on the 
 throne, embroidered with jewels, in the House of 
 Parliament, where there will assemble all the 
 vizirs, p'iers, agents, foreign ambassadors, and 
 about 400 of the noble ladies, all of them seated 
 £ 2
 
 42 JOURNAL OF 
 
 on splendid chairs, ready to receive their king. 
 When every person is ready, then the king stands 
 up, his face towards the assembly, and with per- 
 fect eloquence, he makes a speech as follows : — 
 
 " Thank God that my kingdom is in perfect 
 happiness, and all the affairs both at home and 
 abroad are in perfect order. All the Badishahs 
 (kings and emperors) have sent to me ambassadors 
 assuring me of their miion and friendship. The 
 commerce of this empire is enjoying its highest 
 prosperity, and all these benefits are through your 
 wise direction of affairs during the last session. 
 This year also I have to request you again to meet 
 in the houses, and with your high skill and learning 
 take all affairs and matters into consideration, and 
 settle them as you think best. Should there be 
 any misunderstanding in any part which may re- 
 quu'e either war or peace, you will also thereupon 
 take the proper measures to settle it according to 
 the welfare of your beloved country, wdth all other 
 matters necessary for the interests of the kingdom." 
 Then they receive their instructions, the king leaves 
 them, and they thereupon meet in Parliament every 
 day from one o'clock in the afternoon till four 
 
 9
 
 THE PERSIAN PRINCES. 43 
 
 hours after sunset, Sunday excepted, (for the 
 Christians keep it holy.) All of them sit in Parlia- 
 ment, and take all matters and affairs into conside- 
 ration, and decide on all questions, and every thing 
 important both at home and abroad, and when there 
 is a difference of opinion there will arise great 
 voice and vehement disputes. 
 
 The Lords also meet in the same edifice, and the 
 vizirs sit either in the House of Lords, or in that 
 of the Commons, or in them both, as they must be 
 elected out of the members of Parliament. Their 
 meeting continues four months, after which, on a 
 day appointed, the king comes to the House in the 
 same imperial splendour and state, when all of them, 
 as before-mentioned, (the ladies come only on these 
 two days,) and gives another speech, thanking them 
 for the suppKes of money which they have appro- 
 priated to him, and to all the important objects of 
 the kingdom, and praising them for their labour. 
 Then he tells them that they have been a long 
 time absent from their homes, and that now he 
 wishes to prorogue the House, that they may go 
 home, and please God they will enjoy all pleasure, 
 and may their lives be prolonged to meet again.
 
 44 JOURNAL OF 
 
 Then the kmg departs, and Parliament closes, and 
 the presidents will keep the keys. Thus every 
 member goes to liis pleasure. Then all the busi- 
 ness will be left to the management of the minis- 
 ters who mil direct the affairs, even if the com- 
 mons are not present ; yet, whenever any thing 
 very important happens which would require the 
 sentiments of the people, then the king will call 
 Parliament to meet, but this does not happen 
 often. This that is already mentioned is the idea 
 of Parliament, yet I think on this point, it will be 
 desirable to give distinct details of the powers be- 
 longing to each of the three Houses. 
 
 I have abeady mentioned that the members go 
 every night to the House, to see and decide on all 
 subjects great and small. 
 
 First, every thing begins in the council of minis- 
 ters, then one of them will present the case before 
 the House of Commons. If the House should 
 reject it, it will not pass. But if some should 
 object to it, and others approve it, then each party 
 present will give the advantages and disadvantages 
 of the measure. After much discussion then 
 they divide, the larger party have the power, and
 
 THE PERSIAN PRINCES. 46 
 
 thereupon the bill, or whatever the case maybe, 
 will pass. And if both should be equal in number 
 the party that have the ministers will be the 
 stronger. After it passes the House of Commons, 
 then it is carried to the House of Lords, and the 
 peers will examine the case or bill. They can either 
 reject it, or approve of it. But if they reject it, 
 then they of course will be against the public ; 
 however, if they should send it back to the House 
 of Commons, yet they will return it again to the 
 House of Lords, with strong majority, showing 
 that the bill has passed the House of Commons, 
 and must pass in the House of Lords. Then the 
 vizirs in the House of Lords, who are always 
 supported by the Commons, being of their party 
 and policy, will endeavour to carry through the bill 
 in the upper House. If the Lords should still be 
 against it, then they will all give their proofs, and 
 show reasons and explanation to their objection. 
 At last they will divide, and the majority will be 
 victorious. If the majority should be against it, then 
 it will be carried out of the House of Commons, 
 and all the ministers will meet in Parliament, and 
 carry through the bill, having the strong majority
 
 46 JOURNAL OF 
 
 of the Commons on their side. But no bill is 
 passed without much consideration and discussion, 
 and unless the Lords should be satisfied in the plan 
 of the case they will never agree to it. When they 
 divide, the result is given by the presidents of the 
 two Houses. Wlien the bill passes the two Houses, 
 then it is carried to the presence of the king, by 
 the prime minister saying, that the Government in 
 council have thought best to estabhsh this act, or 
 law, or whatever it may be. The king has the 
 power to refuse it ; but as by doing so it will be 
 quite against the nation, therefore whether he likes 
 it or not, he will sign it ; then it is a complete law, 
 and it will be sent to the minister whom it may 
 concern to be directed by it. 
 
 It has been already mentioned that the revenue 
 of the treasury is about one hundred and twenty 
 kerrors, and that during the time of war it is much 
 more. Of the whole of this the vizirs must pre- 
 sent every year a correct account to the House 
 of Commons, even to a penny, with satisfactory 
 explanation, how and for what these kerrors have 
 been spent. If the expenses that were made 
 should be agreeable to the Commons, well and
 
 THE PERSIAN PRINCES. 47 
 
 good, if not, the vizirs must stand tlie consequence, 
 and will be obliged to prepare more satisfactory 
 proofs in the next session, and on the whole, it is 
 impossible that a halfpenny should be spent with- 
 out utility. The treasury has a vizir on purpose, 
 whose duty it is to receive in, and to present the 
 accounts at the proper time. These accounts 
 must also be regularly published in the newspapers, 
 that every soul in the empire may know how the 
 money was spent, and every person that has given 
 ten tomans of the revenue, in case he should see 
 any thing wrong in its expense, has a right to rise 
 up in the House of Commons, and seize the vizir 
 by the collar, saying, "What have you done with 
 my money ?" But as there will be always some ex- 
 penses which cannot be published, for this they 
 raise a sum, called the secret fund, which is placed 
 at the disposal of the ministers, who are the faith- 
 ful trustees of the nation. 
 
 The six hundred and fifty members of the 
 House of Commons are the agents of the nation : 
 they are also regularly elected by the people in 
 majority, g^nd are among the most learned and most 
 respectable. They have no salary for their labour.
 
 48 JOURNAL OF 
 
 they only work for the love of their country and 
 the kingdom, and always endeavour to promote the 
 welfare of the nation in general ; and their office 
 is also of high honour. 
 
 As to the vizirs or ministers, they are not of a 
 limited number, they are such a number as can 
 perform all the duties of Government, (in fact, 
 they are the Government.) First is the prime 
 minister, who is connected on all affairs referring 
 both to home and abroad ; he is the second person 
 after the king, and the head of Government, and 
 in rank he is higher than any of the nobility. 
 Second is the vizir who directs the affairs of the 
 Home department. Third is the vizir of Foreign 
 affairs, in whose hands are the appointment of 
 ambassadors, consuls, and all affairs in foreign 
 kingdoms. In his hands are also all the affairs 
 of all the diplomatic officers that are sent to 
 this court. All British diplomatic agents must 
 keep up their correspondence vdth him, from 
 whom also they receive their instructions. In his 
 office he is perfect master. Fourth is the vizir of 
 the Colonies, whose office is a very high one, and 
 very important. Fifth is the vizir of the Royal
 
 THE PERSIAN PRINCES. 49 
 
 Navy, in whose hands is all that concerns the 
 English forces in the seas, also the appointments 
 and degradation of captains, and all naval officers. 
 Sixth, the vizir to the Treasury, who receives all 
 the revenue of Government and pays it out, 
 and at the end of the year presents the account 
 to Parliament. Seventh, the vizir of the East 
 Indies. Although all the affairs of the East Indies 
 are in the hands of the Company, and Government 
 has nothing to do with it, yet, as the principal 
 appointments and important affairs have to come 
 from the Crown, for this reason, there is a mini- 
 ster, and without his advice and sanction nothing 
 can be settled by the Company. Eighth, the 
 vizir of infantry soldiers, in whose hands are all 
 appointments of generals, colonels, captains, and 
 all officers of rank. Ninth, the minister of caval- 
 ry, in whose hands are all their affairs. Tenth, 
 the minister of the artillery, who has also the 
 same power in his department. Eleventh, is the 
 vizir who is called the Postmaster-general. He 
 has the direction of all the mails, posts, roads, 
 carnages^ &c. The twelfth is the vizir who is 
 called Lord Chancellor ; he is very great, and the 
 
 VOL. II. F
 
 50 JOURNAL OF 
 
 head of Parliament, and the head of the judges ; his 
 office is a most noble, honourable one. In Parlia- 
 ment he sits even above the prime minister, and 
 his speech is regarded more than any other. All of 
 these vizirs have vice-vizirs, (under-secretaries of 
 state,) who have thousands of persons about them 
 who carry on the work by the minister's orders. 
 Although every one of these vizirs is master of 
 his own department, yet they do not drink water 
 without the advice of each other, they do nothing 
 without consulting each other. 
 
 The administration consists of two parties. 
 The one is named whig, the other tory. The 
 difference between these two parties is political, 
 that is, every one has a different opinion on pohcy. 
 Their seats in the Vazaraship, or administration, 
 depend on the House of Commons, that is, if the 
 majority of the House are tories, then the mini- 
 sters also are tories ; and if they be whigs, then 
 the ministers are whigs. They cannot both be in 
 office at the same time. Administration must be 
 of one party alone. It happens sometimes that 
 they are changed, one goes out, and the other 
 comes in. Sometimes the father is a whig, and
 
 THE PERSIAN PRINCES. 51 
 
 his son a tory, and two brothers may also be one 
 a tory, and the other a wliig. The difference be- 
 tween these two parties is as follows : 
 
 The tories in ancient days have always been in 
 office, and thereby they have established to them- 
 selves some privileges by which every one is now 
 a possessor of milHons of money. As to their 
 policy and their views, they say this : 
 
 " Three hmidred years ago, we were wild people, 
 and our kingdom then was worse and lower than 
 any other. But through mind, wisdom, and learn- 
 ing, which we have now, we have brought our 
 kingdom to its present height of honour ; and as 
 our empire grew larger by our management, why 
 should we now reform and give up our policy 
 which has done all this good?" This being the 
 case, they say they vdll not give up their views. 
 As to the whigs, they say this : 
 
 "We know that it is more prudent to go accord- 
 ing to the changes of time and circumstances ; 
 moreover, by the old pohcy, only a few were 
 profited, and as our government is a general one, 
 therefore we must obser\^e that which is best for 
 the whole nation, and that all should be profited,
 
 52 JOURNAL OF 
 
 and every person should enjoy the same privileges. 
 It will never do that some shovdd grow rich 
 beyond measure, and others should be left poor. 
 The policy of the whigs is for the advantage of 
 the public in general, and they are most powerful 
 in the House of Commons. Also the present ad- 
 ministration is formed of whigs. But there are 
 also a good number of tories in Parliament, who 
 always dispute with the opposite party : in fact, 
 each party uses its utmost power, by proofs 
 and arguments, to establish its own new. Thus 
 they, (the two parties,) have always great discus- 
 sions. There is also in this kingdom another 
 foundation, which is of invaluable importance and 
 exceeding advantage, that is, what they call news- 
 papers. These papers are written by some very 
 clever editors and authors, who are veiy learned, 
 and poets. They enjoy the confidence of the 
 people. They have large establishments, fur- 
 nished with every convenience, such as types 
 and presses, and everj^ necessary material. They 
 employ thousands of individuals in these un- 
 dertakings. Some of them are appointed to go 
 about the different parts of the city, to leani all
 
 THE PERSIAN PRINCES. 5S 
 
 the news concerning every thing that is going on, of 
 life, death, birth, war, quarrels, arrivals, departures, 
 sales, purchases, failures, friendships, disputes, and, 
 in a word, all kinds of information, which they re- 
 late daily to the editors. Others go about the 
 king, queen, princes, vizirs, and, in an astonishing 
 manner, they learn what is going on, in detail, 
 and give in an account of it. Likewise some are 
 sent to the different departments of the vizirs, 
 such as the Vizir of Foreign Affairs, who is always 
 visited by foreign ambassadors, poUtical agents, 
 and consuls, and receives news from all parts of 
 the world. Thus the information is collected, 
 and reported in the printing-office. Besides all 
 tliis, they have agents in every place abroad, to 
 inform them of all foreign news and accidents. 
 
 There are also some of the best and quickest 
 writers, whose business it is to go every night to 
 Parhament, and write down every breath that 
 comes out from the mouth of each member, and this 
 is perpetually sent to the printing-office. Perhaps 
 before the representative has finished his speech, 
 half of it is already published and given to the public 
 
 to read. In this mamicr they collect all the news, 
 F 2
 
 54 JOURNAL OF 
 
 and publish it on lai'ge sheets of paper, every 
 thing in its detail. There are printed myriads of 
 these papers daily, during the whole year long. 
 Thus every soul in the kingdom is informed of the 
 proceedings of the Government, and what is their 
 intention, what good they are doing for the people, 
 and how the House of Commons is getting on, 
 and, in fact, whether every thing is right. Be- 
 sides, they have all the particulars of foreign 
 coimtries. From these establishments the trea- 
 sury derives an income of some thousand tomans 
 annually. 
 
 There is another department in this kingdom, 
 of great usefulness to the public, which they call 
 the Post ; that is, an establishment for the convey- 
 ance and despatch of letters. This is arranged in 
 the following maimer: — in every direction about 
 the town there are boxes, where letters may be 
 put in. Every person that may want to send a 
 letter to any part of the kingdom, or abroad, 
 has only to address his letter regularly, as before- 
 mentioned, and may send it to be put in these 
 boxes. People on purpose are appointed to go 
 out, morning and evening, with leather bags in 
 9
 
 THE PERSIAN PRINCES. 55 
 
 their hands, and bells, and gather in the let- 
 ters. All the letters are brought to the large 
 department of the Post-office, where the lord vizir 
 resides, and also some thousands of persons are 
 engaged in carrying on this affair, to separate the 
 letters for different parts and put them all in order. 
 Afterwards they put each mail in a separate 
 bag, and despatch them in fast coaches for their 
 respective places. The best horses and coaches 
 are pro\'ided for this important business. When 
 the mail approaches a to\\Ti, the postman 
 blows his trumpet, so that the post agent, on 
 hearing the soimd, will be ready to receive the bag 
 of letters belonging to that place. As to the 
 postage, it is fixed by Government. The same is 
 true when the mail returns to London, with the 
 answers to what has been sent. Thus every 
 morning and evening 500 coaches leave London 
 with letters to all parts of the world. If the post- 
 age be paid, it will be written on the letter *' Post 
 Paid," if not, on its delivery it must be paid. 
 Through this excellent facihty, the letters in this 
 country are forwarded. The larger the letter, the 
 more it pays. The revenue to the treasury on
 
 5& JOURNAL OF 
 
 this establishment is six kerrors, while the advan- 
 tage to the people is very great. 
 
 Another of their excellent arrangements, and 
 which attracts much notice, are their lights 
 during the night, which make the day and night 
 to be nearly the same. In all their cities, towns, 
 villages, hamlets, mountains, hills, plains, bazaars, 
 and every street, light at night is just as it is in 
 the day-time. This is effected by means of their 
 conducting the Ught through pipes, as if it were 
 a Hquid, or water. This they call gas, or what 
 we may call spirit of coals. It is produced as 
 follows : — 
 
 A few miles distance from every town there 
 are placed some pots or kettles of iron, on high 
 situations, every one like a room of iron, founded 
 on arches of iron. They put every day in them 
 some thousands of tons of the mineral coals, which 
 they burn until the coals become dissolved like a 
 black liquid. To every pot there is a pipe of 
 iron, and all are connected together with one 
 large pipe, through which all the gas runs into 
 a cistern of iron in the shape of a vat. On
 
 THE PERSIAN PRINCES. 57 
 
 the top of this cistern there is a tower of iron, in 
 the form of a trumpet; this is to prevent any 
 accidents in the pipes, in case they should be 
 overfilled ^vith gas. To tliis large deep vat there 
 is a very large pipe of iron, six pikes in circum- 
 ference, leading out to another place near the 
 town, where it is joined to several other pipes of 
 iron, through which the gas is conducted to every 
 house and street. Myriads of houses, of fifty or 
 a hundred rooms each, receive this light from one 
 pipe, to the head of which there is an instrument 
 in the shape of a lion's head, through which the 
 gas runs ; so that a house may be either lighted 
 or darkened by turning the said instrimient. In 
 truth, this gas lights better than any other liquid. 
 In this same manner all the lights through the 
 kingdom, after sun-set, are lighted, and by day- 
 break they are put out. Thus, without trouble, 
 a man may have any quantity of light in his 
 house, by paying so much for each light to the 
 Company, who will convey gas through pipes to 
 his house, and fix the light for him. Most of 
 the people in this country use it ; all their public- 
 houses, churches, shops, and workhouses have
 
 58 JOURNAL OF 
 
 their lights of this gas, without the least trouble 
 of oil, except some of the great people use fine 
 spermaceti candles in their drawing-rooms. Verily, 
 it is a wonderful tiling, and a very wise invention ! 
 Some kerrors of revenue from this go every year 
 to the treasury, and to the country its mines of 
 coals are more precious than one of gold, because 
 through them they carry on their wonderful and 
 most valuable machines of steam. 
 
 There is another object which displays the 
 ability and industry of this nation. They cut, 
 out of the river Thames and other rivers, some 
 large canals, to bring the water to difierent 
 parts of the country; this is to save them the 
 expense of carrying their heavy goods throughout 
 the country. They have rafts of planks on these 
 canals, which they load with goods to the weight 
 of 10,000 mauns, and the raft is drawn by a single 
 horse : from this may be learnt their income, when 
 one horse is made to draw the weight of 10,000 
 mauns. Indeed, all their afiairs are measured by 
 wise calculation. They divide their time, both 
 day and night, in regular hours of business, and 
 they are exact to a minute. They are very parti-
 
 THE PERSIAN PRINCES. 59 
 
 cular in their time, which they value very highly. 
 When a person has an engagement or an appoint- 
 ment at such an hour, either on business, a dinner- 
 party, or whatever it may be, the person always 
 puts into his mind the fear of not being in time ; 
 therefore, he is always on the alert to be at the 
 exact moment. For this purpose, they have, on 
 the outsides of all their churches, at the four 
 sides, fine clocks, which strike every hour, exact 
 to a second, and the striking of the clocks may 
 be heard four miles distant. The clocks that 
 are thus fixed on the walls of the churches and 
 other edifices in London, may be more than 
 500,000. For the night-time, they have, on the 
 minarets of their churches, clocks, behind which 
 are placed lanterns that give a powerful light, 
 which enables every person to see the fingers of 
 the clocks from one mile distance, and th6y look 
 very handsome, like full moons. The Franks count 
 time from noon to midnight, quite contrary to the 
 Oriental custom, from smi-set to sun-rise. It is 
 likely that their account is more correct, because 
 there is always a difference and change in the 
 length of day and night, but mid-day and mid-
 
 60 JOURNAL OF 
 
 night can have no changes. However, as they 
 know best in this science, it would be better to 
 follow their time. 
 
 They have also some other regulations and 
 customs, which I must not omit to mention, as 
 they may furnish some useful information. One of 
 them is, several thousand pubhc-houses, for en- 
 tertaining foreigners and travellers, and every body. 
 The first class of these houses are called, in the 
 Frank language, " Hotels," wliich resemble the 
 Persian caravansaries, yet the cost of each building 
 simply, must have been 200,000 tomans, and 
 the furniture is worth much more. All the plate 
 for the table, and other vessels, are of gold 
 and silver, and whatever you may think of, 
 you will find in these establishments. It is not 
 the custom of this country to receive any 
 body in their families, not even a friend nor 
 a brother, therefore it is necessary to lodge 
 in an hotel, and all travellers in this country, 
 even the natives themselves, go to these public- 
 houses. For this reason they have built such 
 splendid houses, capable of entertaining all kings, 
 princes, vizirs, nobles, and gentlemen, who -visit
 
 THE PERSIAN PRINCES. 61 
 
 this kingdom, and take up their residence in 
 them. In every hotel there will be more than 
 200 servants, male and female, who are ready at 
 any moment to receive orders, both day and night. 
 They serve with all their hearts, and are always 
 very attentive to the guests, like mothers or 
 brothers. Each of these establishments contains 
 more than 100 rooms, and every room is furnished 
 with all things, as sofas, bedsteads, table for 
 vn'iting, a fire-place, Sec. ; in fact, every thing is 
 most splendid and comfortable. As to the ser- 
 vants, they have separate places in the house, 
 where they attend to its duties. In every one of 
 these rooms, there is a long fine silk cord, which 
 is joined to a bell below. All the rooms, and 
 Likewise the bells, are numbered, so when you 
 touch the cord, of course the bell rings, and the 
 servant immediately looks to the number upon it, 
 and in an instant he will be with the gentleman. 
 I, on purpose, did sometimes touch the bell at 
 midnight, and scarcely had I touched it, when 
 a man or woman came up, and whatever I ordered, 
 it was biQught immediately. In short, there is no- 
 thing wanting in them, they are even better than your 
 VOL. II. G
 
 62 JOURNAL OF 
 
 own homes. The servants get up very early in the 
 morning, and sweep every part in the house ; the 
 dirt is immediately carried away, and they make 
 the house as clean as a looking-glass. The servants 
 themselves are very clean, and particularly so when 
 they wait at the tahle. There are also in these 
 establishments some washing-women, who wash 
 and iron so well, that the clothes, after being 
 washed and ironed, look as if they had just come 
 out from the tailor's. 
 
 All the people in this kingdom are clad alike, 
 and there is no distinction in dress. Such persons 
 of rank as vizirs and other officers, put on 
 their uniforms when they go to the King's levee, 
 but at other times they dress just like other peo- 
 ple. It is not even the custom here, to take ser- 
 vants with them, except one behind the carriage, 
 whose place is always to be there. Vizirs, nobles, 
 and other great personages go out about the 
 streets alone, and sometimes purchase what they 
 may fancy ; even members of the royal family do 
 so, and sometimes the King in person goes out 
 dressed like other people: when he does so no- 
 body pays him the honour due to him as King.
 
 THE PERSIAN PRINCES. 63 
 
 He is only respected as such when he goes out 
 in his state. The Kings here can only marry 
 a member from the same royal family, and not 
 from any foreign ; as it is considered unlawful, 
 because he is the father of his subjects. Likewise 
 a royal princess is never married to any person 
 but to a royal prince, and this rule is kept by all 
 the sovereigns of the Franks. In fine, all this 
 comes from the liberty which they enjoy: this 
 liberty is carried to a greater extent in France, 
 and to its utmost point in America. In that part 
 of the world, they advance daily in every thing, and 
 notliing is made in Europe, wliich they do not also 
 make in America. Although most of the people 
 of America migrated from Europe, yet at pre- 
 sent they enjoy such a liberty that they are inde- 
 pendent in every thing. Their Government is 
 also a republic, and in all probability they will be, 
 before a long time, stronger than any other power. 
 There are some possessions in America in the 
 hands of England, France, Russia, and Spain, but 
 it is supposed that these also will in time be inde- 
 pendent. In short, wherever liberty and justice 
 prevail, there civilization advances, the population
 
 64 
 
 JOURNAL OF 
 
 increases, and the arts flourish. For, London, 
 the most noble, before justice and liberty were 
 enjoyed in it, was inhabited by men so wild that 
 they lived under the shadow of the trees, and were 
 clothed in animals' skins ; whereas now they have 
 houses as palaces surrounded by balustrades of iron 
 most elegantly wrought, of the value of 10,000 
 tomans. The people are handsomely dressed, 
 enjoying all the pleasures of life. Whence comes 
 all tliis ? From justice, and righteousness, and 
 mutual love. This indeed proves what the holy 
 mouth pronounced :* " The kingdom will endure 
 though infidelity be in it, but it vnll perish if there 
 be oppression." In fine, wherever you may fix 
 your eye you will see that the gracef of this 
 world is to them complete ; with abundance of 
 food, clothing, and every kind of luxury ; in short, 
 nothing is withheld from them. Their houses are 
 like the palaces of heaven, their houris resemble 
 those of Paradise. Water does not run in the 
 streets in fountains as in the East, but in every 
 place they have in their houses, water which is 
 
 * Mohammed. + That is, happiness.
 
 THE PERSIAN PRINCES. 65 
 
 brought through pipes, and drawn up to the fifth 
 story by machines, so that by only touching the 
 cock, they have as much water as they may want 
 for use. By a similar contrivance they can put out 
 fires, that often take place, in consequence of their 
 houses being built of fine wood. In none of 
 their houses do you see any fly, or muskito, or any 
 other noxious insects. All their shops are magni- 
 ficently built of marble, beautifully adorned with 
 large glass windows, from which you can see all 
 the goods inside with their prices affixed. Also 
 shops and houses vs'hich may be rented, have in 
 their windows a paper largely printed, thus : " This 
 is to be let," with the price that is demanded ; 
 likewise, if it is to be sold. All business is thus 
 carried on with perfect facility, without a broker or 
 a porter. In the same manner a person can tell 
 whether the master of the house is dead or alive, 
 because they have large planks painted with black, 
 which they fix against the wall of the house for a 
 mourning sign which continues a year. 
 
 A Kttle time ago, they invented a wonderful art for 
 making things keep out the water. The material 
 for doing so is a kind of gum, which was first used to 
 G 2
 
 66 JOURNAL OF 
 
 remove any thing from paper, even the marks of ink 
 or any other article are taken off by it. This gum 
 for a long time w&s used for this purpose only, as 
 it is a soKd substance. The learned among the 
 English endeavoured to render this gum of greater 
 use. About ten years ago, a painter who had his 
 paints and some of this gum, accidentally dissolved 
 by being exposed to the sun, took the gum, which 
 had become like wax, and rubbed it on a piece of 
 cloth wliich he found could not be penetrated by 
 water: he then inflated the cloth, and found 
 that even air could not get through it. By this he 
 learnt that he could make some most profitable 
 use of the gum. First he applied to Govern- 
 ment, from whom he received a good present, 
 of some thousand tomans, and a patent that 
 he alone might enjoy the privilege of this art 
 five years. Then he made several kinds of dresses 
 rubbed with this gum, and sold them himself. 
 Multitudes of people bought of him, and they 
 were exported by wholesale to foreign countries. 
 By this he made an extraordinary fortune. After 
 the five years were over, he sold his secret to a 
 company for 30,000 tomans. They make of it
 
 THE PERSIAN PRINCES. 67 
 
 cloaks and other things, through which water does 
 not penetrate, and let it rain for a whole year the 
 cloak would not even become damp. In the same 
 manner they make beds and pillows, which you 
 may put in your pocket, and when you want them, 
 you have only to inflate them, and you are fur- 
 nished with a very comfortable bed as soft as if 
 it were made of feathers. By the same art they 
 make girdles, called life-preservers, for the sea: 
 let all the hurricanes, storms and waves be as 
 strong as they may, a person having this on, will 
 never sink under the water, unless he die through 
 hunger or thirst. In short, they make by this 
 art only so many useful articles, that if I were 
 to mention them all I must write volumes ; the 
 prices though are very dear. The people of this 
 country do not regard, neither believe the khimira 
 or alchemy,* but their doctors and wise men are 
 always occupied in studying chemistry, by which 
 they make many inventions that are more pro- 
 fitable than the imagined alchemy. After they 
 
 * The art of changing base metals into gold. Unfortunately many 
 people in the East believe this art, and accordingly they spend their 
 fortunes and become poor. (See Hichardsou's Diet, second edition.)
 
 68 JOURNAL OF 
 
 finish their business in the day, they go to enjoy 
 their pleasure with most commodious tranquillity. 
 Every man in his house, rich or poor, great or 
 small, in himself is a king. No one can interfere 
 in another's concerns. All kinds of comforts and 
 pleasure are prepared at any hour ; you have need 
 to have money, then you may obtain any thing 
 you may want, and have in an instant every 
 thing you like of any article from foreign coun- 
 tries, &c. &c. &c. 
 
 The marriages in this country are managed as 
 follows : Young men must first receive complete 
 education in mathematics and other branches of 
 useful learning. Some, however, receive only a com- 
 mercial education, so that they may be able to keep 
 houses and provide for a family, nor do they till 
 then seek for a suitable wife. The young females 
 receive also a suitable education. They are taught 
 to read and write, modern languages, music, draw- 
 ing. They do not usually marry under twenty 
 years of age. Their connexion commences 
 as follows : most of the young persons who are 
 bachelors go out to parks, gardens, and other places 
 of pleasure, to smell the fresh air. The young
 
 THE PERSIAN PRINCES. 69 
 
 damsels have no veil on, so that the young men 
 find no impediment to being introduced to them and 
 forming their acquaintance. Wlien a young man 
 has been captivated by the object of his afiections, 
 and has been acquainted with her for some time, 
 and learnt her manners and qualifications, he writes 
 to the young love, expressing his attachment to 
 her, and begs her to inform him of her inclinations. 
 Then if she should not happen to be of the same 
 sentiments she will not answer his letter. This 
 will give him to understand his misfortune. But 
 if fortunately she should be of the same feelings, 
 she \vill then favour him with a lovely answer in 
 writing, assuring him that he is accepted, leaving 
 it for subsequent intercourse to fix the time and 
 place of their marriage. At the appointed time, 
 they meet in the church, present themselves to their 
 kassis,* and ask him to marry them. The kassis 
 then will perform the ceremony of marriage, accord- 
 ing to their custom. The bridegroom takes the 
 hand of his bride and conducts her to the carriage. 
 They visit the country, and remain absent for some 
 
 • This name is given in the Koran to Christian ministers.
 
 70 JOURNAL OF 
 
 time from their parents and friends. During their 
 tour they go from place to place, and from one 
 garden to anotlier, enjoying the company of each 
 other. There are places fitted up on purpose for 
 receiving such guests. Sometimes they go abroad 
 and remain for a year and more, after which they 
 return home. Their parents and friends then com- 
 pHment both of them on their marriage and safe 
 arrival. When the young lady gets married, she 
 takes the name of her husband, being addressed as 
 Mrs. so and so, whereas when she was single she 
 was called after the name of her family, addressed 
 as Miss so and so. In Europe, they have two names, 
 one of the family, and the other that of the person. 
 For instance, Fraser, is a name of a family, in 
 wliich there may be two hundred souls, all of 
 whom are called Fraser, both ladies and gentlemen. 
 Yet to distinguish between these Frasers, they have 
 what they call Christian names, such as George, 
 John, William, James, Anne, Eliza, &c. Thus, a 
 man is called Mr. George Fraser, and lais wife, 
 Mrs. G. Fraser, and his daughter Miss Anne 
 Fraser, &c. 
 
 It is of the highest consequence with the Eng-
 
 THE PERSIAN PRINCES. 71 
 
 lish, that respect should be paid to the fair sex. 
 The poorest female is higher than a king. They 
 consider it as an important duty to respect the 
 ladies. Princes, dukes, vizirs, lords, will stand be- 
 fore them, offering the utmost honour and respect ; 
 every one will endeavour to exceed the other by 
 serving and pleasing the lady. Divorce, in their 
 law, is an exceedingly difficult thing, and never 
 takes place, except in cases of adultery, wliich 
 must be legally proved before divorce can take 
 place. But when such a thing happens, the di- 
 vorced will lose their standing in respectable so- 
 ciety, neither will they be any longer invited to 
 any party, let their rank be what it may ; their 
 friends will abandon them, and their enemies will 
 take every opportunity to speak against them. 
 
 Thus far I have endeavoured, from the inform- 
 ation I have obtained during my residence here, 
 to give my reader a brief statement of the customs 
 and manners of this highly-favoured country. 
 
 To-day, about sunset, we went to the enter- 
 tainment of the Honourable Lady H . The 
 
 house is a fine edifice, and the party was very 
 pleasant. Here we saw a blind man, who played
 
 72 JOURNAL OF 
 
 wonderfully on a musical instrument, and he 
 so perfectly imitated the voices of all kinds of 
 birds and animals, that you could scarcely tell the 
 difference between the imitator and the imitated ; 
 in truth, it was a complete art. Here we spent 
 a few pleasant hours, conversing with the friends 
 whom we met, and returned to our residence. 
 
 Thursday the 8th, we went to the house of 
 Colonel Taylor, now a resident at Bagdad, to see 
 his brother. Here we saw four children of the 
 Colonel's. His mother is a lady about eighty 
 years of age, and when I saw her, she was weep- 
 ing at the absence of her son. She told me, 
 " My son, Colonel Taylor, was twelve years old 
 when he went to Hindostan, and I have not seen 
 him since ; and now his children, who have been 
 a long time with me, are going to leave me, for 
 which I am exceedingly sorry." I asked her the 
 reason why these young ladies and the sons had 
 been so long absent from their parents. She 
 repKed, that it is the custom of the Franks 
 when they are abroad, at whatever distance they 
 may be, always to send their children, when they 
 are very young, to London, or some other city in 
 
 4
 
 THE PERSIAN PRINCES. 73 
 
 Europe, to receive their education, as it is im- 
 possible to have them brought up in foreign 
 countries. However, the Taylor's family were 
 exceedingly hospitable, and very agreeable and 
 friendly. Afterwards we went to the palace of H. 
 R. H. the Duke of Sussex, a brother of the 
 Shah, and the head of the Freemasons. His palace 
 is a splendid edifice. When we came there, the 
 royal duke was not at home, but we were ad- 
 mitted, and shown into his library, where we saw 
 innumerable books of all descriptions. We asked 
 whether there were in this library any Persian or 
 Arabic books ; upon which they conducted us to 
 another room, the sides of which were lined to 
 the roof with Oriental books, all celebrated co- 
 pies of Persian works. In fact, not one book 
 of any importance was wanting. We amused 
 ourselves a little time ^vith these books, till his 
 Royal Highness came, who was exceedingly kind 
 and friendly. We spent some time, conversing 
 on difierent topics, and then took leave, and de- 
 parted to the house of a celebrated astronomer 
 of this country. 
 
 Here we observed a very extensive apparatus, 
 
 VOL. 11. H
 
 74 JOURNAL OF 
 
 embracing a great variety of astronomical and 
 philosophical instruments for the observation of the 
 planets, the examination of which completely as- 
 tonished and overpowered us. He has several 
 rooms, built in a beautiful garden, adorned with 
 elegant flowers, for the purpose of making astro- 
 nomical observations. There were some most 
 wonderful telescopes, fixed on wheels, which turn 
 in any direction that is desired. These are put, 
 when necessary, on the terrace, and through them 
 one may look at every planet in the heavens, and 
 see whatever is wished. One of these wonderful 
 telescopes was nearly twelve draas long, and about 
 one draa and a half in circumference, fixed on a 
 wheel. Tliis telescope magnifies the planet 6000 
 times. They show in the day-time every planet 
 or star near the sun. One of the glasses which 
 is attached to the head of this telescope is worth 
 15,000 tomans. We remarked that glass in this 
 country is not so valuable; how then could the 
 price of this glass be so enormous ? He replied, 
 that this glass must be perfectly pure and trans- 
 parent, otherwise it would not answer the pur- 
 pose ; and such a glass is very difiicult to be 
 made : tliis makes it so valuable. The astrono-
 
 THE PERSIAN PRINCES. 75 
 
 mical and pliilosophical instruments that we saw 
 here were beyond number. But as the day was 
 rainy, we were not able to see any thing in the 
 heavens, and returned to our residence with the 
 intention of visiting it again. 
 
 On tliis day, after sunset, it being fine wea- 
 ther, we went to the same house again. Saturn 
 at this time appeared in the west, to which we 
 directed the telescope. It appeared to be inclosed 
 with a beautiful ring, but it passed so rapidly 
 that we were obliged to turn the telescope con- 
 tinually, in order to keep it in view. We saw 
 two of its moons, which appeared to be in the 
 telescope. After we had had a full sight of this 
 planet, the telescope was directed towards the 
 moon, which looked so large and brilliant that 
 you might say she appeared at the entrance 
 of the telescope. We observed something like 
 ca-saties in her, surrounded by black rings ; also 
 in these cavities there appeared some dark spots, 
 and at one of her horns we saw a dark line, which 
 appeared to be the breadth of a finger. We asked 
 the pliilosqpher what all these were ? He replied, 
 " It has been satisfactorily ascertained that these
 
 76 JOURNAL OF 
 
 cavities are very large mountains, upon wliich 
 the sun shines, and the black lines are valleys, 
 where the sun does not shine. The black spots 
 which you observed are volcanic mountains, which 
 continually emit smoke. The black rings at one 
 end of the moon are two great mountains, which 
 are opposite each other. Between them there is 
 a very large valley, where the sun does not shine, 
 which produces the black rings." As it became 
 cloudy, we were not able to see any thing else. 
 Then we asked him the distance between this 
 world and the moon. He then conducted us to 
 another very large room, where there was a large 
 telescope, to which were fixed some instruments, 
 about ten yards long. On this telescope were 
 many figures. The astronomer said that each of 
 these figures expressed the distance of five miles, 
 and by certain calculations it is ascertained that 
 the distance from our earth to the moon is 240,000 
 miles ; it is also ascertained that the moon has no 
 water or air; nevertheless, it is beheved that it 
 is inhabited. 
 
 " We have observed," said he, " in all the 
 planets water and air, especially in Jupiter. 
 
 I
 
 THE PERSIAN PRINCES. 77 
 
 But in the moon and sun there is neither." In 
 fine, they have arrived at these conclusions from 
 their accurate observations. They have also as- 
 certained that each of the planets is, like the 
 terrestrial globe, inhabited, and that besides the 
 known seven planets there are four others, and that 
 the earth itself is a planet, and turns upon its 
 axis like the others. As to the sun, they believe 
 it to be fixed, and that the seven planets are per- 
 petually revolving around it in their orbits ; they 
 approach and recede from each other. Some of 
 the planets have moons; others have not. This 
 world has one moon ; Mercury, being so near to 
 the sun, they have not discovered any belonging 
 to it. Lovely Venus has no moon, and Mars 
 has none. Jupiter has four moons, and Saturn, 
 being very far from the sun, has seven moons, 
 and the other four small planets have no moons. 
 All these planets, with this earth, turn round the 
 sun, and the sun itself is fixed. Each of the 
 other fixed stars that we see is of itself a sun, 
 and has its planets, just Hke the nine planets 
 which are connected with this world. On ac- 
 count of their immense distance, they cannot be 
 H 2
 
 78 JOURNAL OF 
 
 seen by the naked eye, but they can be discovered 
 by the telescope, through which they may be seen 
 revolving like our planetary system. It still re- 
 maining cloudy, we could not see any thing, yet 
 as there were not many clouds towards the west, 
 the astronomer said that after four minutes there 
 would appear in that direction a fixed star, which 
 is in itself a sun, and has no moon, and is called 
 Mahirkles. Exactly when the four minutes passed, 
 he fixed the telescope towards it, when we did 
 not see any thing else but that star, which had a 
 most powerful brilliancy. Afterwards we saw ano- 
 ther small star, very brilliant. The astronomer said 
 that the little brilliant star is a planet, and that 
 every hour during the night it revolves round the 
 large one ; just as the earth turns round its sun : 
 that every one of the fixed stars is a sun, and has 
 planets that turn round it, and that every planet 
 is thickly inhabited by beings like those of tliis 
 world, and that, without doubt, the earth, to the 
 inhabitants of these planets, is like a star. Blessed 
 be the Creator, and praise be to the high ruler of 
 these vast dominions ! Afterwards the astrono- 
 mer invited us to his house, where we saw a very
 
 THE PERSIAN PRINCES. 79 
 
 extensive apparatus, so wonderful that it dazzled 
 our eyes and minds. Then he presented to us 
 some refreshments. 
 
 In the meantime, one of his pupils came into 
 the room, saying to him, "The clouds in that 
 part of the heavens which you wished to examine 
 have passed away." He conducted us to the 
 large telescope, saying that what we were going 
 to see was more splendid and attractive than any 
 other part of the heavens. We immediately 
 fixed our eyes to the telescope, beholding that 
 part which was to the north-east. We saw in one 
 place most brilliant stars, very near to each other ; 
 then we looked again, praise be to God ! we beheld 
 myriads, thousands of myriads of stars, most bril- 
 liant, every one of which is a sun ; round these there 
 were others of different colours, without number. 
 Now we lost our senses, and it is impossible to 
 describe this scene. Would that all our friends 
 could come and enjoy these sights ! In truth, we 
 were highly satisfied with our most delightful 
 visit. Now, it becoming very late, we bade our 
 host good-bye, and returned to our residence. 
 
 Friday the 9th, we visited the East India
 
 80 JOURNAL OF 
 
 Company's house. Sir John Carnac, the chair- 
 man this year, having previously called upon us, 
 and also having met us at many parties, we paid 
 him a visit. It is a very large lofty edifice, 
 which is so splendidly furnished as to dazzle the 
 eye ; the riches of this Company are immense. 
 The word "Company" means a body of men, 
 joined together for mutual advantage. So the 
 Company of the East Indies began originally as 
 follows : a body of nobles and rich men of Great 
 Britain, 150 years since, formed a company to trade 
 in Hindostan. After they became well acquainted 
 with every thing in that empire, they, through 
 the sanction and power of the government, took 
 possession of India, on the condition that the 
 civil affairs of the country should be in their hands, 
 and thus this Company became complete masters 
 of that empire, and secured the interests derived 
 therefrom to their descendants. The number of 
 persons forming this Company maybe about 10,000. 
 All the income of India goes through their hands. 
 They appoint and remove their officers, and the 
 Government at home does not interfere in their 
 affairs, except that one of the twelve vizirs has
 
 THE PERSIAN PRINCES. 81 
 
 charge of all the affairs of India^ without whose 
 advice or presence they do nothing. Sir John 
 Hobhouse at present fills this oiBce. This Com- 
 pany is called the Indian Government. The 
 revenue of the treasury of India is seventy-five 
 kerrors, out of which they pay their expenses. 
 The army in India is 300,000, besides forty pieces 
 of artillery, the cost of which is all defrayed by 
 the Company. The ministers to Persia are ap- 
 pointed by the Company, except the present 
 ambassador, who was nominated by the king; 
 likewise the residents at Bushire, Bassora, and 
 Bagdad are sent out by the Company. But out 
 of the 10,000 men who compose this Company, 
 there are twenty-four members elected, who di- 
 rect all its important affairs. These are called 
 Directors, and reside in London. Out of these 
 twenty-four there is one who is their head for 
 one year, and another, who is called the Vice, or 
 Deputy Chairman, who becomes head the next 
 year. Although these two change annually, yet 
 they still remain members of the twenty-four, 
 and obtain high honour, if they have advantage- 
 ously promoted the interest of the Company.
 
 82 JOURNAL OF 
 
 By this wise management, the affairs of India 
 every year become more powerful, and subject 
 to better order. Each of these Directors has his 
 own house, yet all of them meet daily in this 
 large government-house. 
 
 This edifice must have cost millions of money. 
 In it we observed most curious and valuable arti- 
 cles from all parts of the world. If I were to 
 mention minutely one twenty-fourth part of what 
 I saw, I should have to write volumes. The 
 chairman conducted us to every room, and showed 
 us all that is to be seen. In one of the large 
 rooms, we saw all kinds of strange and curious 
 quadi'upeds from the East Indies and Western 
 Islands, that is, their skins, which were so elegantly 
 stuffed that they appeared to be alive. In another 
 room, we saw all kinds of birds from the East Indies 
 and Asiatic Islands, which had a very interesting 
 appearance ; and in other rooms we were shown all 
 sorts of arms from the East, and so many other 
 things, that our eyes were wearied in beholding 
 them. Afterwards they conducted us to their 
 library, which contains 12,000 volumes, of all 
 imaginable works, many of which are most beau-
 
 THE PERSIAN PRINCES. 83 
 
 tiful Persian manuscripts of the best authors and 
 writers, such indeed as we had never seen in the 
 library of the Badishah of Persia. We observed 
 some of the Word of God, written by the most 
 celebrated Meerza Ahmed, and Aga Kassim, and 
 other celebrated writers. One of these Korans 
 is the most beautifully written in the world, the 
 eyes of days and turnings of nights have not seen 
 such a book ; in its margin is the holy interpre- 
 tation most wonderfully written. 
 
 Afterwards they showed us into another room, 
 where we saw the portraits of the Badishah of 
 Persia, with aU the Royal Princes, all dressed in 
 their royal robes, hunting in the presence of the 
 Shah. All the names of the Princes are written 
 on the portraits in Persian, and the pardoned 
 Kassim Khan appears before the Shah, with a dag- 
 ger in his hand killing a gazelle. In truth, these 
 likenesses are so beautifully drawn that you 
 hardly can tell the difference between these 
 portraits and their originals. Our own likenesses 
 are also in the same place. Afterwards they 
 showed us the presents and the kind offerings of 
 the pardoned Badishah to the English ambassa-
 
 84 JOURNAL OF 
 
 dors and other visitors, and also those that he sent 
 to the Company with some of his works. In fact, 
 the said presents are such as to reflect the high- 
 est honour upon such an Emperor. Thank God 
 we did not feel ashamed of them. They said to 
 us, that the majestic state of the Badishah of Per- 
 sia is more splendid than that of any other king. 
 After we had seen all these, we were conducted to 
 another room and took some refreshments, and 
 then returned to our residence. In the evening, 
 we went to Lady , where we enjoyed a delight- 
 ful visit. 
 
 Saturday the 10th, two hours before sunset, we 
 went to dine with the directors in a large lofty 
 house. It was so splendidly furnished that we had 
 not seen its hke before. All nobles, vizirs, and 
 several of the foreign Royal Princes were present 
 at this noble assemblage. There were in all 400 
 persons at the table, which was loaded with all sorts 
 of dishes of sweetmeats and fruits. Perhaps the 
 expense of this entertainment was about 10,000 
 tomans. This dinner was given in honour of 
 Lord Elphinstone, who had just been appointed 
 Governor of Madras. It was given in conse-
 
 THE PERSIAN PRINCES. 85 
 
 quence of his contemplated departure. And all 
 the pillars of Government were present to receive 
 his pledge of honour to promote the interest of 
 Government, in the country to which he was going. 
 Some of the distinguished personages rose from 
 the table, and made speeches expressing the confi- 
 dence which Government reposed in his Lordship, 
 and he gave a speech expressing his thanks and 
 assurances that he would promote the interest of 
 India to the utmost of his power. In short, so 
 noble an assemblage and so splendid a display 
 we never had seen before. We were very happy to 
 meet Lord Elphinstone, having previously made his 
 acquaintance. While we were sitting at dinner, my 
 brother Wali was suddenly seized with a terrible 
 choKc, and was obhged to leave the table and go 
 home. Mr. Money, a friend of our's, was imme- 
 diately called to see him, and remained with him 
 almost all the night. Wali was ill for five days, 
 but thank God, at last he recovered. After din- 
 ner we had some conversation with our friends, 
 and returned home. 
 
 Sunday the 11th, and Monday the 12th, during 
 both days we received some visits from the nobility, 
 
 VOL. II. I
 
 86 JOURNAL OF 
 
 and in the evening we attended very pleasant par- 
 ties, in delightful gardens abounding with pure 
 water, and excellent air. 
 
 Tuesday the 13th, we went out of town to an 
 entertainment of Sir Gore Ouseley. It is the 
 custom of the nobles and great men of this king- 
 dom to have country houses or seats. These seats 
 are splendidly furnished and delightfully situated. 
 The winter and the spring they spend there with 
 their families, all the time enjoying the comforts 
 of Hfe. Sir Gore Ouseley bought this seat four 
 years ago, for 150,000 pounds sterhng, eqvial to 
 300,000 tomans of Persia, besides expending 
 enormous sums in making improvements. He has 
 erected most splendid buildings upon it, and made 
 it a complete paradise. The furniture of his 
 mansion is of silver and gold. In short, here 
 there is every thing that the eye and the heart 
 can wish of the pleasures of life. His library 
 is a capital one, and contains many Persian and 
 Arabic books, that the Shah does not possess. 
 Some of them were quite new to us. He has bought 
 oriental books to the amount of 30,000 tomans. 
 We were indeed exceedingly pleased with our
 
 THE PERSIAN PRINCES. 87 
 
 visit to these good friends and this delightful 
 place. About sunset we returned to our resi- 
 dence. 
 
 "Wednesday the 14th, we received intelligence 
 from Government that our affairs were nearly 
 settled, and that our departure from London 
 would not be long delayed. 
 
 Thursday the 15th, news came from abroad 
 that the Tigris, one of the two steamers on the 
 Euplirates, had sunk in a great storm, and that 
 twenty persons on board had been lost. In the 
 evening we were invited to visit the honom'able 
 Lady E . It was a noble and delightful party. 
 
 Saturday the 17th, about Asser,* we entered 
 our carriage to take a drive in the parks and 
 the gardens. In fact, the God of all has given 
 these people all the enjoyments and happiness of 
 life, and has withheld nothing from them. 
 
 Sunday the 18th, Lord Palmerston came to see 
 us in a very polite and friendly manner, and in- 
 formed us that our requests were granted and 
 fairly settled, and that any time we pleased we 
 
 • Asser, generally, is the time about three hours before sunset.
 
 OO JOURNAL OF 
 
 might depart, and that Mr. Fraser was directed 
 to conduct us as Mihniindar as far as Constanti- 
 nople. His Lordsliip also said that his Majesty 
 would he pleased and very happy to see us, and 
 that we might have that honour on Wednesday, 
 as the Badishah who had not been in the capital 
 for some time, would be in his palace here on 
 Wednesday next, where we might be presented. 
 In truth, Lord Palmerston was in every respect 
 very kind and polite, a striking proof of the 
 friendship and union of the two empires. In the 
 evening we went to the entertainment of Mr. V. 
 Smith, where we met a noble and most delightful 
 party of ladies and gentlemen. It was an exceed- 
 ingly pleasant visit, as I had formed before a par- 
 ticular friendsliip with the honourable, agreeable, 
 
 and accomplished Mrs. S . 
 
 Tuesday the 26th, we visited a manufactory 
 for the purpose of purchasing some instruments, 
 and a pump, which is capable of drawing water 
 from the depth of seventy draas. This latter I 
 bought for 200 tomans, to be used on our return 
 to the Holy Land. I hope that with my hand 
 I shall be able to place it in the holy spot, for
 
 THE PERSIAN PRINCES. 89 
 
 the benefit of the pilgrims, and those that are 
 honoured to reside in the most blessed parts.* I 
 trust that the pilgrims will remember me in their 
 prayers. Then we visited a very learned artist, 
 who cuts beautiful figures and statues out of 
 marble and solid rocks. Tuesday evening we 
 went to the entertainment of Mr. Money, where 
 we enjoyed the sight of faces lovely as the beau- 
 tiful moon, and had our hearts nourished with 
 their sweet voices and music on the piano-forte. 
 In truth, it was a very delightful sight. 
 
 Wednesday the 21st, we went to be honoured 
 at the gate of his Imperial Majesty. The custom 
 with the kings of this coiuitry is as follows: — 
 when a foreigner comes to this kingdom on some 
 important embassy to Government, his business 
 must first be brought before the council, and be- 
 fore his afiairs are settled and received by the 
 ministers, he cannot see the king. But when 
 his plans are accepted by the Dawlet,f then he 
 
 • Najah Ashref, near Bagdad, which I have already mentioned. 
 Before I left Bagdad, the prince had gone there to fulfil his vow by 
 fixing the pump. 
 
 + Government. 
 
 I 2
 
 90 JOURNAL OF 
 
 will be presented to the sovereign. The King 
 himself leaves the management of his affairs to 
 his ministers. He himself has leisure for the 
 enjoyment of various pleasures. He enters his 
 carriage, he visits the garden, he inhales the 
 odour of the flowers, and derives enjoyment from 
 every source. Sometimes, for two or three months 
 he does not come to his palace in the capital, and 
 see anybody there. He goes incognito about 
 the streets, conversing with whom he pleases, and 
 even should he be discovered to be the King, he 
 would only be respected as a private gentleman. 
 When we were in this city, there were several 
 royal persons and kings, who went about pri- 
 vately, as other people. However, on this day he 
 came in state to his palace in the capital. Three 
 hours before sunset we set off for the royal 
 palace. When we came there, we were first con- 
 ducted into an ante-room, till Lord Palmerston 
 informed his Majesty of our arrival. Then we 
 were ushered into the presence of his Majesty, and 
 introduced by liis lordship. When we entered 
 the royal hall, where the Shah was standing, and 
 when we saw the light of his countenance, we
 
 THE PERSIAN PRINCES. 91 
 
 bowed our heads to him, as due to his Majesty. 
 He expressed his kindness towards us, and pro- 
 nounced the joyful words, that we were as his 
 sons, and that he would be pleased to order every 
 thing for our welfare. We most humbly offered 
 our thanks for his grace, and his Majesty was 
 highly pleased with oiu' address, which Meerza 
 Ibrahim translated very well. After the audience 
 we took our leave and departed. In truth, he is 
 a most gracious, excellent king ; exceedingly kind 
 and affable. He is about eighty years old, and 
 this is the sixth year of his reign. He is a 
 descendant of a German royal family, of the 
 house of Hanover. It is rather more than a hun- 
 dred years since the line of Stuart (formerly 
 kings of this country) ceased, and the present one 
 came to the throne. Charles the First, of the house 
 of Stuart, was a sanguinary and arbitrary prince. 
 He wished to subvert the constitution, to dis- 
 pense with Parliament, and to reign despotically. 
 The English, however, put an end to his career 
 by decapitating him. Here followed a short in- 
 terregnum, after which liis son, Charles the Se- 
 cond, was called to the throne, and on his death
 
 92 JOURNAL OF 
 
 was succeeded by his brother, James the Second. 
 This sovereign attempted, like his grandfather, to 
 reign despotically. But he was obliged to ab- 
 dicate, and the nation invited his son-in-law, the 
 Prince of Orange, to the throne. This last king 
 dying without issue, Anne, daughter of James the 
 Second, reigned, and was succeeded by George the 
 First, prince of the house of Hanover, whose line 
 is now upon the throne. Here we must express 
 oui" best thanks to his present Majesty, for his 
 hospitality, kindness, and friendship. 
 
 Thui-sday the 22nd, Mohanmied Ismael Khan 
 called to see us. He breakfasted vnth. us, and 
 soon after we went with him to the painter Mr. 
 Parridge, who lived in a house near us. This 
 distinguished and learned artist draws and paints 
 so exquisitely that nothing is wanting to his 
 drawing but a soul. This artist drew out the 
 portraits of us tlu"ee on one piece of canvass, so 
 much hke, that one could scarcely distinguish the 
 likenesses from the originals. Every day numbers 
 of very beautiful ladies came to see om* portraits. 
 On this day also while we were there, a few of 
 these houries came to gaze at them ; we asked
 
 THE PERSIAN PRINCES. 93 
 
 them to sit down, and enjoyed with them very- 
 pleasant conversation. There was among them a 
 very handsome young lady, who said to one of the 
 ladies of the party, " I should like to become the 
 wife of your brother, but I find it very difficult, 
 because I have no brother to be married with you." 
 Taymoor Meerza hearing this, said, "Lady! I 
 will become your brother, and fill the same office." 
 The ladies then fainted in laughing, and were 
 exceedingly pleased, and thus it was agreed upon, 
 that Taymoor Meerza should become the brother, 
 and satisfy both the two ladies, and himself. After 
 the contract was finished, they took the hands of 
 each other, and held a very delightful conversation 
 on the joke. Since tliis day, whenever Taymoor 
 Meerza has met this young lady in any party, he 
 does nothing but sit dovni and keep her company. 
 All the vizirs, princes, nobles, and gentlemen, be- 
 gan to see Taymoor Meerza in every party always 
 engaged conversing with this lady by signs, and 
 endeavouring to make himself understood. The 
 nobles and great personages said to Taymoor 
 Meerza, "You are exceedingly fortunate in ob- 
 taining the favour of this lady, since many young
 
 94 
 
 JOURNAL OF 
 
 noblemen and very distinguished persons have 
 used every means to make her acquaintance, but 
 she has not favoured any one of them with her 
 company." In short, Taymoor Meerza fell in love 
 with her, and gave up the idea of retm-ning home, 
 and on the whole he forgot every thing, and 
 determined to abandon every other place, and 
 reside in London. Indeed, the love of Taymoor 
 Meerza was so strong, as to lead me to think, that 
 if I should insist upon his returning home, it would 
 cause his death. Our friends seeing that Tay- 
 moor Meerza's enjoyment in their parties depend- 
 ed solely upon the presence of tliis young and 
 honourable lady, made a point of inviting her to 
 meet him. On one occasion we were invited to an 
 evening party; when we arrived, Taymoor Meerza 
 saw the house dark, not observing a ray of the 
 shadow of his love : he looked in every direction, 
 and did not see the star appearing from the hori- 
 zon. The more he looked round, the less he saw. 
 Then he said to himself, " Oh ! how have I lost 
 the sight of my eyes ! let me die." Again he said, 
 " Nay, what will it profit me if I lose my life. 
 Oh ! let me live, if I can only see her again. Can
 
 THE PERSIAN PRINCES. 95 
 
 I be in a party without my soul ? No ! It is 
 impossible, let it not be." Then his heart forced 
 him to rise up to the host; with an open eye he 
 asked him, " Wliere is the lady ?" The assemblage 
 suddenly laughed, saying to him, " She is already 
 out of your grasp." Two days ago she fell in 
 love with a young gentleman with whom she went 
 to the great church, and was married with him, 
 and both of them have left the city. They are 
 now walking about among the flowers, enjoying the 
 pleasure of love. Unfortunately, Taymoor Meer- 
 za, as soon as he heard this unexpected news, 
 was almost distracted, and could scarcely be com- 
 forted by any body. However, our friends ex- 
 plained to him that she did not keep her word, 
 and that he need not be sorry, and with much 
 pains they restored his heart. 
 
 On the next day we went to the house of the 
 painter, and saw our portraits, for which he will 
 receive about 1000 tomans. Here I made the 
 
 acquaintance of Miss R , with whom I formed 
 
 a strong friendship and attachment. I accordingly 
 accompanied her to the great zoological garden,
 
 96 JOURNAL OF 
 
 where we gazed at the wonderful quadrupeds and 
 birds. 
 
 Friday the 23rd, we accompanied a party of 
 beautiful and honourable ladies to some gardens ; 
 and three hours before sunset we went to the 
 entertainment of Sir H. Willock, who had been 
 for twenty years ambassador to Persia. He 
 speaks Persian \vith perfect eloquence, and is 
 also a fine Persian poet. His house is like a 
 garden full of roses, and his party resembled the 
 beautiful blossom of flowers, which produces joy 
 in the heart, and the brilliancy of those who were 
 present was a nourishment to the soul; and the 
 pride of the spring rose to its height. His garden 
 is green like emerald, its water is rose-water, 
 its trees are the residences of the nightingales, 
 and verily his house is a paradise. There were 
 also numbers of the nobility and gentry, most of 
 whom speak Persian, which they learned in Hin- 
 dostan and Persia. By this means they kept up 
 with us a very agreeable, friendly conversation. 
 
 One of the party was a young lady, whose 
 beauty caused the brilliancy of the sun, which
 
 THE PERSIAN PRINCES. 
 
 97 
 
 shines on the world, to be ashamed of itself. The 
 roses of the gardens looked with humble obedi- 
 ence at her beauty. This handsome young lady 
 sung very sweetly while she was playing on the 
 musical instrument which they call a piano-forte. 
 This lovely, delightful young damsel turned vdth 
 a smiling face towards Wah, saying, " Tell me a 
 Persian verse, that I may sing and play upon my 
 piano." Brother WaH immediately obeyed her 
 commands, and recited a verse of Hafiz, wiiich 
 she sang beautifully. On the whole, it was a 
 very dehghtful and agreeable entertainment, and 
 we had most pleasant conversation on different 
 topics. On our way to this place we saw some 
 domes flying in the air, which they call balloons, 
 and here we learnt the particulars of their con- 
 struction. The balloon is made of a strong silken 
 material, which is glazed with a certain substance 
 that renders it impervious to the atmosphere. 
 They expel the common air, and inflate it with 
 a lighter gas, and attach to it a boat, in which 
 two or more persons may sit, and thus ascend to 
 the clouds. It reaches so lofty a height, that it 
 appears to the spectator, with a spy-glass, like 
 
 VOL. II. K
 
 98 JOURNAL OF 
 
 an orange. Again, by letting the gas out of it, 
 the balloon will, by degrees, descend. They 
 have not yet succeeded in causing it to descend to 
 whatever place they wish, but in time the English 
 will bring this invention under perfect control. 
 
 Wednesday the 23rd, early in the morning, Sir 
 Gore Ouseley and Fraser Saheb called upon us, 
 and said, " We are ordered by the King, that if 
 you have a desire to visit Windsor, the imperial 
 palace, you are invited by his Majesty to do so ; 
 and that her Majesty the Queen will be happy to 
 see you as her guests in the palace." We thank- 
 fully accepted the invitation, and ordered our 
 carriage for the palace. It was a delightful day. 
 All along the road we enjoyed the delicious fra- 
 grance of the dehghtful gardens. After travelling 
 thirty-three miles, we arrived at this heavenly pa- 
 lace. On our way thither, we met his Majesty 
 proceeding to the city. The King being in his 
 carriage, we paid our salutations at a distance, 
 and received his Majesty's in return. 
 
 This superior palace is situated in a garden, or 
 park, fifty-two miles in circumference, which is 
 surrounded by a wall of iron bars, about three
 
 THE PERSIAN PRINCES. 99 
 
 yards and a half high. The park has forty gates, 
 splendidly wrought, and through it run several 
 fine streams like rose-water, and its trees are 
 most noble, producing a beautiful shade. The 
 carriage-roads are so finely paved, that a person 
 might take his repose upon them. Roses of every 
 kind, and flowers of every hue, are in this park. 
 Its land is green like emerald, its prospect is 
 pleasure to the eye. Gazelles, antelopes, and 
 deers, are here in thousands. Pheasants, par- 
 tridges, woodcocks, and game of every kind 
 abound, all of which are enjoying this delightful 
 place. Nightingales, goldfinches, and their asso- 
 ciates, keep with their sweet voices watch in this 
 garden. It is naturally carpeted with a beautiful 
 green velvet. My pen tells me, do not proceed ; I 
 am incapable of describing it, it is Paradise. In 
 one part of this Eden, there is a hill, two miles 
 in circumference, on which the palace is built ; it 
 is about 2000 yards in height, and affords a 
 most beautiful view of the park. The mind 
 cannot but be astonished at this splendid edifice, 
 whose cjescription exceeds the power of human 
 writers. Its brilliancy reproves the sun of the
 
 100 JOURNAL OF 
 
 world. The girdle of its cupola makes that of 
 Kassrow* sink into insignificance and shame. 
 The first geometrician of the age would be unable 
 to find out the ratio which the corner bears to the 
 entire roof, and the most learned architect would 
 cut his finger, f from his inability to discover the 
 principles of its construction. 
 
 Art thou a garden and a palace, residence of 
 victory ? or a Paradise that God hath planted in 
 the earth ? In truth, thou appearest as an ever- 
 lasting Paradise. O azure four-springed foun- 
 tain! whence did thy colour first come? Thou 
 must be a stream from Kauthar ! J 
 
 In every room that we entered, our astonish- 
 ment increased, and our minds were surprised. 
 In every apartment we observed imperial splen- 
 dour. All the furniture was of gold and precious 
 stones. Even in the smallest room there ap- 
 peared to be an assemblage of all the jewels in the 
 world. The brilliancy of each article of gold and 
 jewelry surpassed that of the sun and moon. Each 
 
 • Cyrus. t An expression of great despair. 
 
 J The immense large river of Paradise, detailed in the Koran.
 
 THE PERSIAN PRINCES. lOl 
 
 of the kings, for 200 years past, has had a sepa- 
 rate palace in this castle, with distinct majestic 
 splendour of sovereignty, as may be now seen, 
 just as they were when these sovereigns occupied 
 them. And whatever unique jewels each sove- 
 reign obtained during his reign, are placed in his 
 palace, with his statue, either of marble, jasper, 
 or porphyry, seated on a jewelled throne ; so 
 beautifully made, that you might say, it is alive 
 and can speak. One statue of a former king cost 
 more than 12,000 tomans. Thus you may ima- 
 gine what is the value of all the statues, pictures, 
 and figures in this castle. In the same manner, every 
 one of the shahs of England has his coat of arms, 
 together with the arms of such foreign kings as 
 he may have conquered. All his ministers and 
 officers of state during his reign, have also statues 
 placed by him in the room, each with arms ot 
 the age, and appearing as if they were alive. 
 
 In the royal rooms of the late kings, all are 
 seated on their thrones and chairs of gold, em- 
 broidered with precious stones, which cost millions 
 of minted gold ; each has his crown on his head 
 of a hundred mauns of solid pure gold, and 
 K 2
 
 102 JOURNAL OF 
 
 adorned with precious stones, so magnificent as to 
 take the senses away. These crowns are supported 
 by chains of gold, and suspended over the heads 
 of the sovereigns. In short, the majestic splendour 
 of every sovereign who has died still exists. All 
 the royal furniture in the palace is deposited in 
 the different apartments, and every thing which in- 
 dicates the greatness of majesty is still now in the 
 same order as formerly, and attendants are actually 
 waiting just as if the departed sovereign was alive. 
 Their libraries are filled wdth myriads of volumes, 
 a thousandth part of which cannot be described. 
 One of the Hbraries, belonging to one of the 
 former sovereigns, is lined with fifty thousand 
 volumes. We also noticed several rooms, three 
 hundi'ed feet long, and a hundred broad, all 
 adorned with beautiful pictures. These are for 
 balls, where the King and Queen invite their noble 
 guests ; the King himself dances, and the Queen 
 also vdth whom she pleases. When such balls 
 take place, the sounds of the musical instruments 
 in these rooms are heard at a distance of twenty 
 miles. The wonderful articles which we ob- 
 served are so numerous, that it is impossible to
 
 THE PERSIAN PRINCES. 103 
 
 describe them. After we had minutely examined 
 the palaces of the former sovereigns, they con- 
 ducted us to the palace of his majesty, William 
 the Fourth, the sight of which made us forget 
 the former ones. Imagine what must be the 
 splendour of a king whose revenue is four 
 hundred and eighty kerrors per annum ! Indeed 
 we were filled \\ath amazement at what we beheld. 
 No sovereign ever possessed such splendoiir, not 
 even Solomon, (peace be upon him !)* who had 
 power over the Gin,-f- whom he commanded to find 
 
 • Solomon, the oracle of his age. No name is more famous in the 
 East than his : he succeeded his father David, according to their be- 
 lief, when only twelve years old, at which age Omnipotence placed 
 under his obedience, not only mankind and animals, but even the ele- 
 ments, and the Gin, good and bad. His throne was magnificent beyond 
 idea; twelve thousand seats, some say twentyrfour thousand, of gold, 
 being arranged on the right for the prophets and apostles, and twelve 
 thousand on the left for men learned in every science. The birds were 
 his constant attendants, screening him like a canopy from the incle- 
 mencies of the weather, whilst the zephyrs wafted him wherever he 
 wished to go, rendering horses, or any earthly carriage, unnecessary. 
 For further particulars respecting the Gin, and also respecting Solomon, 
 see Ayat el Namleh, or Chapter of the Ant, in the Koran, as I cannot 
 here enlarge further. 
 
 t Gin, i. e. the well known fiery spirits of the Koran, and the 
 Arabian Nights.
 
 104 JOURNAL OF 
 
 for him all the treasures of the world, even he did not 
 possess so much as his present Majesty. Although 
 we had not the opportunity to see one thousandth 
 part, yet of what we saw and estimated we could 
 easily imagine what was asserted of Alexander of 
 the Two Horns, that he blocked up the wall of 
 Gog and Magog * with gold, since the gold that 
 we observed here in this palace is four times the 
 quantity that would be required to block up any 
 wall of Gog and Magog. 
 
 While we were walking about, her Majesty 
 the Queen, a daughter of a German king, sent 
 the Royal Prince of Germany, her cousin, to 
 inform us that the Queen would be happy to see 
 us. We replied, that it was our greatest desire 
 
 • The throne of gold, i. e. the country between the Euxine and 
 Caspian Seas ; so called from the privileges enjoyed by the Persian go- 
 vernors of Derbend, to give audience on a golden throne. This pro- 
 vince having been anciently considered as the barrier of the Persian 
 empire, a strong mound of gold was built, from sea to sea, by 
 Alexander of the Two Horns. This is called in general the wall of 
 Gog and Magog, as it is believed by many Asiatics, that their terri- 
 tories are beyond or behind this wall. The prince, however, appears 
 now to be satisfied that the said wall was built by Alexander of the 
 Two Horns. This Alexander was a Mussulman and a prophet, according 
 to Persian belief, not Alexander of Macedon.
 
 THE PERSIAN PRINCES. 105 
 
 to have the honoiir to be introduced to her Ma- 
 jesty. After a few minutes, we were honoured 
 with an introduction to the Queen, who was 
 surrounded by her attendants of honour, daugh- 
 ters of the first Enghsh nobility. We presented to 
 her Majesty our humble respects, and the Queen 
 most affably assured us of her sincere friendship. 
 In the mean time a royal Mihmander, with the 
 Prince her uncle, accompanied us to show us the 
 different places in the palace. We afterwards 
 visited the royal church which is near the castle. 
 This church is supported by the vows and be- 
 quests that are presented to it by the sovereigns. 
 The sovereigns are buried in this church. On 
 one of the tombs we observed some magnificent 
 statues. A royal princess lies buried here, who 
 died when she was in the bloom of her age. She 
 having been extremely beautiful, they carved for her 
 a most splendid statue. After we had ceased 
 gazing at the church, we entered the carriages 
 that had been ordered for us, and took a ride in 
 the park. We rode about forty miles in it. The 
 wonderful edifices, and beautiful flowers, that 
 we observed here, quite deprived us of our senses.
 
 106 JOURNAL OF 
 
 Every one of the former sovereigns, during his 
 reign, built in this garden an edifice, and planted 
 in it most elegant plants, according to his taste ; 
 these are opened for the visitors to enjoy. On 
 the rivers and streams of Kauthar, we saw some 
 fine ships. The eye is charmed with the variety 
 of roses and flowers which are gloriously pre- 
 sented to its view, minutely to describe which 
 would require us to write for ever. We also 
 observed about the streams some beautiful royal 
 tents, made of rich and valuable stuifs of different 
 colours. Having now gone far in the park, and it 
 becoming rather late, we retiu-ned to the palace. 
 Here we had some refreshments of all sorts of 
 most delicious things. Then we thanked his 
 Royal Highness for the kindness of their Majes- 
 ties, and assured him that the interest we felt in 
 what we had seen on that day was beyond mea- 
 sure. We again expressed our thanks to her 
 Majesty, who was pleased to allow us to see so 
 many most tasteful things. The Royal Prince 
 expressed his regret that we had not time enough 
 to examine all that was to be seen, as it would 
 require more than ten years to see minutely the
 
 THE PERSIAN PRINCES. 107 
 
 third part of the splendour of this palace. Thus 
 having been engaged all the day gazing at the 
 different things, we were fatigued and returned to 
 our mansion. 
 
 Thursday the 24th, four hours before sunset, we 
 visited a large edifice, which we may call the 
 opera of the horse.* It is the same in form as 
 the opera house or theatre, and in the same man- 
 ner it contains boxes and seats for the spectators. 
 There were on this day about 50,000 ladies with 
 charming faces like the moon, and the ray of 
 their beauty gave a most powerful splendour to the 
 place. The principal parts in this theatre are 
 performed by horses, including other wonderful 
 exercises. In the first part, an Asiatic emperor in 
 Eastern splendour came out upon the stage, where 
 a fire was lighted up, the light of which made the 
 whole place look as red as crimson. 
 
 In the same theatre there were many elevated 
 places, like high bridges, on which they performed 
 on horseback. The horses ran up and down ex- 
 actly like cats. Some little boys, of seven years 
 
 * Astley's. .
 
 108 JOURNAL OF 
 
 of age and under, clad in different coloured 
 dresses, played by turning their bodies as if they 
 had no bones at all. They formed, by joining 
 their bodies in diflferent ways, any figure they 
 liked. For instance, they wished to form an ele- 
 phant. One of them represented the proboscis, 
 another the head, one the neck, and others the 
 feet. Thus they form an elephant, exactly like 
 the original; so wonderfully, that one could 
 scarcely distinguish it from a real one. Likewise, 
 with their bodies they form the resemblance of 
 any other animal. About 100 men were arranged 
 in this manner, — one stood above the other, that is, 
 the feet of one on the head of another, till all were 
 arranged, and then they danced in that position. In 
 truth, it was a very wonderful, surprising perform- 
 ance. The most astonishing part of this exhibition 
 was a ring of wood, which was held by a man, ten 
 yards distance, around which were fixed some 
 spears. Some persons, while playing on the rope, 
 passed most wonderfully through the ring, with- 
 out being hurt. Afterwards some beautiful young 
 female performers, with angehc faces, dressed 
 expensively with jewels, came out. They played in
 
 THE PERSIAN PRINCES. 109 
 
 different ways, and with their beauty and exercises 
 exceedingly delighted and astonished all of us. 
 
 After the rope performance was over, then the 
 play was carried to the lower part of the house, 
 that is, the gromid, which is a roimd place of 
 soft earth. First a young boy, ten years old, rode 
 on two horses, which stood at the distance of a 
 yard from each other. He took the bridles of 
 both in his hand, and placing one foot on each 
 horse's back, and lashing them with his whip, 
 they went with extreme rapidity. The horses 
 ran so swiftly, that their feet did not appear to 
 touch the ground. It is said, that they go the 
 distance of an hour in a minute. In fact, the 
 performance of this boy on the horse's back, in 
 such a narrow place, was so quick and wonderful 
 that we lost our senses. Afterwards a young 
 female appeared, of beautiful complexion, bril- 
 liant as Venus. She also, in the same manner, 
 rode on the horses, but in a more wonderful 
 way. She actually danced on the horses, and 
 made these large, powerful animals themselves 
 dance. , Sometimes this young lady, with a stick 
 in her hand, gave a sign to the horse, which he 
 
 VOL. II. L
 
 110 JOURNAL OF 
 
 understood as well as a human being, and fell 
 down as if dead ; again she gave another sign, 
 which made him rise up and dance. In fact, 
 nothing was wanted to this horse but speech. 
 After this young lady had finished her wonders, 
 then other performances were introduced. I 
 would only add, that what we saw done here was 
 as if by magic ; indeed, you may call it a com- 
 plete necromancy. Afterwards the master of this 
 establishment himself came out, and performed so 
 wonderfully on horseback, that he might be called 
 the first horseman in the world. This man, standing 
 on a very large and powerfvd horse, exhibited such 
 distinguished powers of horsemanship, that what 
 I have already mentioned is nothing in compari- 
 son of it. Wliile the horse was at full speed, 
 he filled his pipe, struck a light, and began smok- 
 ing. He also took a pen and ink in his hand, 
 and while at full gallop wrote letters. Likewise 
 he loaded his gun, and fired. Again, two men 
 stood and held a circular screen of paper in his 
 way, ten yards above him, through which he 
 jumped, though the horse was at full speed, and 
 alighted on his back. In fine, what was exhibited
 
 THE PERSIAN PRINCES. Ill 
 
 here was miraculous. Were we to describe the 
 whole, it would too much lengthen our book. 
 
 After we had spent a few hours at this place, 
 
 we went to Lady C 's, one of the distinguished 
 
 and honourable personages of this kingdom. Here 
 we spent some delightful hours of the evening, 
 and near daybreak we returned to our residence. 
 
 Friday the 25th, we went to a cutlery shop, to 
 look at the various articles, such as penknives, 
 razors, scissors, &c. Here we saw many curious 
 and strange instruments, such as we had not be- 
 fore seen, for dentists, oculists, surgeons, and 
 doctors. It never entered into our minds that 
 there were so many and such various instrimients, 
 as we here observed, there being upwards of two 
 nullion knives of different descriptions. Some of 
 them were for anatomical purposes, to remove any 
 part of the bones with perfect facility. These instru- 
 ments are so ingeniously constructed, and adapted 
 to their purposes, as to enable even a child to prac- 
 tise in medical science. Indeed, those of the me- 
 dical profession in this country appear to have no 
 difficuky in curing any disease ; so that, whatever 
 to our Persian doctors appears as incurable, to
 
 112 JOURNAL OF 
 
 them presents no insurmountable difficulty. We 
 saw here a penknife that had 1800 blades; in 
 short, we spent nearly the whole day in gazing at 
 these different articles. 
 
 On Saturday the 20th, we visited some of the 
 bazaars and shops, where we saw specimens of 
 art without end. In the evening we went to the 
 house of Lord Glenelg, vizir of the West Indies, 
 and all the English colonies. Here we met, at 
 dinner, princes, nobles, and vizirs, a magnificent 
 assembly. At his residence we saw some most 
 curious birds, such as we had not seen even in the 
 Zoological Gardens. In truth, it was a very 
 noble entertainment. 
 
 Sunday the 27th, an hour before smiset, we 
 went to the house of Sir John Hobhouse, the 
 vizir of the East Indies. Here there were pre- 
 sent many of the vizirs and nobles of the king- 
 dom, and many of the distinguished persons of 
 India. The assembly was adorned by the pre- 
 sence of a company of beautiful ladies, the ray 
 of whose faces lighted the place, as in daytime. 
 After the dinner was served, the ladies favoiired 
 us with some Persian music, by which, and their
 
 THE PERSIAN PRINCES. 113 
 
 friendship, we felt exceedingly happy ; in truth, 
 it was a very noble entertainment. From thence 
 we went to the house of Lady R , who pos- 
 sesses an imequalled beauty. Here, as in other 
 assemblies, all the guests were clad in fancy 
 dresses, and wore false mustacliios and beards, 
 and every one danced. After we had had a full 
 sight of these exhibitions, we returned to our 
 residence. 
 
 Monday the 28th, we went to the house of Noori 
 EfTendi, the ambassador of Rome. His house is very 
 fine, situated in the Park, from which any one can 
 have an excellent view of all the beautiful faces of 
 those angelic forms who take their walk or ride in 
 the Park. The table was furnished with all kinds of 
 nice dishes and delicious fruits. After the dinner 
 was served, we had together some pleasant con- 
 versation on Persian and Tiu'kish poetry. In 
 truth, it was an exceedingly pleasant entertain- 
 ment. From hence we went to an evening party 
 
 at Lady C 's, where the assembly was most 
 
 noble. 
 
 Tuesday, the 29th, Fraser Saheb called, and 
 said, " There is a house in the city, which is 
 l2
 
 114 JOURNAL OF 
 
 well worth \dsiting ; should you be inclined to see 
 what it contains ?" Not feeling very well, and 
 being engaged to go in the evening to the palace 
 of the Queen Princess Victoria, I decHned his 
 invitation ; but Wall and Taymoor Meerza went 
 with him. They were conducted to a house 
 where they saw some figures of kings, and the 
 Royal Family, both male and female, with some 
 figures of ministers, heroes, and princes, all made 
 of white wax. Every one was dressed according 
 to his rank, and his costume was richly embroi- 
 dered, and adorned with jewels, in perfect order. 
 When Wali, and Taymoor Meerza entered this 
 hall, they were astonished at this imperial assem- 
 blage, thinking within themselves what these em- 
 perors coidd be doing here, and why they should 
 be assembled in this place ; why should these 
 females and royal members be seated on jewelled 
 chairs ? Some had books in their hands, others 
 were writing, and some appeared as if they were 
 leisurely conversing with each other. When they 
 were informed that the objects which they saw, 
 were simply artificial figures, they could not be- 
 lieve it, but when they approached, and actually
 
 THE PERSIAN PRINCES. 115 
 
 touched them, then they were satisfied, yet with 
 great astonishment. After they had fully in- 
 spected this exhibition, they determined not to 
 inform me of the reality of what they had seen ; 
 and as we were to go in the evening to \isit the 
 Queen, they contrived to bring me first to this 
 house, saying, that it was the palace. At last 
 they carried their purpose into effect, by desiring 
 Fraser Saheb, to say nothing about it ; but to 
 bring us to this house in the evening on our way 
 to the palace. Afterwards they went to another 
 place where there was a very large edifice ; here 
 they were conducted up some stairs and saw a 
 dark place, and the stars appearing in heaven. 
 There were many men and women seated on 
 chairs. Shortly after, they observed in this place 
 a large church in which there were many priests 
 engaged in prayer, and many large candles lighted 
 up. A few minutes after, daybreak began to 
 appear, and by degrees the light of the candles 
 began to die away, and the sun which illuminates 
 tlie world arose, and the stars of heaven totally 
 disappeared. Every minute their surprise was 
 increased from these wonderful representations.
 
 116 JOURNAL OF 
 
 When they inquired, what these exhibitions were, 
 and were asked what they thought the distance 
 might be from them, they said, that they were at 
 least 800 feet. Qmte to their astonishment, they 
 were informed that they were not more than six 
 feet distant, and that all these lights were so 
 arranged in the pictures as to cause all these 
 sights by their colours, and by drawing do^vn the 
 curtain it becomes dark. The light in this room, 
 is admitted in a certain way, which enables them 
 to carry on these exhibitions. In truth, no one 
 could ever think that the simny illumination in 
 this place was artificial. Many people visit this 
 place, and as they have to pay something for 
 admittance, a large income is brought to the 
 proprietors. Afterwards they moved to other seats 
 when it became again by degrees as dark as night, 
 and there appeared to them a village "at a distance 
 at the base of a large mountain, upon which light 
 gradually dawned, moreover the barking of the 
 doffs of the village was heard. Some clouds in 
 the heavens appeared, and caused a storm of rain 
 with dreadful thunder and Kghtning. Afterwards 
 snow fell so plentifully, that in a very short time
 
 THE PERSIAN PRINCES. 117 
 
 it covered the mountain and the village with the 
 plain, and every thing therein. After a little 
 while the sun shone, and many carriages came 
 from the neighbourhood in order to take out the 
 inhabitants who were buried under the snow. All 
 this also was artificial. After Wali, and Tay- 
 moor Meerza, had a full exhibition of these won- 
 ders they came home, and related what they last 
 saw, and concealed what they had seen before. 
 
 About sunset we entered the carriage for the 
 royal palace, on a visit to the Queen. We ar- 
 rived at the door of the house, supposing this to 
 be the palace. I desired Fraser Saheb to enter 
 first, and to announce our arrival, and to obtain 
 permission for us to enter. Fraser Saheb went 
 in, and came out, saying, that the king has ho- 
 noured this place with his presence, and that all 
 the royal family are present, as well as the 
 vizirs and nobles of state, all in full uniform, in 
 the presence of his Majesty, who is holding a 
 levee. I then entered the place, and found it a 
 splendid hall. The king was sitting on the im- 
 perial throne, with the crown on his head, and 
 clad in a splendid royal robe of jewels. In the
 
 118 JOURNAL OF 
 
 same manner, tlie Queen was seated, in her most 
 magnificent robe of precious stones. All the 
 members of the royal family were in their full 
 uniform, making a circle round the King. Dukes, 
 princes, vizirs, and nobles, all standing before him. 
 The royal hall was beautifully Kghted up, with 
 magnificent chandeliers. When I beheld all this 
 splendour, I said within myself, " I ought to 
 approach the King just as I should my sovereign, 
 the Badishah of Persia, and ofier him the same 
 dutiful obedience." Thus I approached nearer to 
 the King, bowing down my head, after our custom, 
 and my brothers stood beliind me. The King, much 
 to my surprise, did not appear to acknowledge my 
 presence. I then asked Fraser Saheb why the 
 King was uncivil. He said, "I do not know. 
 Perhaps," said he, "the reason is, that it was 
 not the King, but the Queen, who invited you, so 
 that the King has nothing to say to you ; let us 
 go to the Queen." I was exceedingly vexed and 
 ashamed of what took place, bowed my head to 
 the ground, and followed Fraser Saheb to the 
 Queen. Here I observed a throne of marble, 
 inlaid with precious stones and valuable jewels.
 
 THE PERSIAN PRINCES. 119 
 
 On this splendid and magnificent throne was seated 
 a young lady, with a face like the moon, di'essed 
 in royal robes, worth more than the revenues of 
 Europe. A precious crown was on her head, 
 and she was surrounded by a company of ladies 
 with angelic faces, whose splendour was Kke the 
 sun at mid-day, all seated upon chairs of gold. 
 I drew near, offering the due respects ; all were 
 silent, and nobody replied to my salutation. This 
 was quite the reverse of what I met with at other 
 parties. I began to be qtute vexed with Fraser 
 Saheb, and said to him, " Fraser Saheb ! this 
 gives me to understand that the Queen did not 
 invite me to come, and that she did not wish to 
 see me. It is all through your fault and inter- 
 meddling that I have to bear this shame." 
 
 One of the ministers, dressed most magnifi- 
 cently, without a hat on his head, w'as standing 
 before the Queen. I went near this minister, 
 and desired Fraser Saheb to tell him this, that 
 although the Queen did not imite us, yet we were 
 already in her palace, and it would be only polite- 
 ness in her to treat us as her guests. Fraser 
 Saheb interpreted to him what I said, but I ob-
 
 120 JOURNAL OF 
 
 served that this man did not give any answer, 
 neither uttered a word. Praise be to God ! what 
 a curious circumstance ! I then took liis hand, 
 saying, " Why do not you give an answer to my 
 question?" When I shook his hand, he fell 
 down. I then observed that he was dead, and I 
 was astonished to find that all of them also were 
 dead persons. Now my brothers and Fraser 
 Saheb laughed loudly, and said, " These people 
 are not dead, but all of them are artificial figures 
 of white wax." Verily, no one would ever have 
 thought that they were manufactured by men. 
 
 This establishment belongs to a rich nobleman, 
 who inherited it from his father ; and it brings 
 him daily an income of a hundi'ed tomans. 
 Many people fr'om all parts of the world come to 
 visit this wonderful place. In short, I was not 
 satisfied till I examined all of them ; and I w^as 
 perfectly astonished to find that there was not the 
 least difference between the imitation and the 
 imitated. So wonderful are the arts of the Franks. 
 
 After I had made a full examination of this 
 place, we left it for the royal palace, which is 
 most beautiful, and most magnificent ; the imperial
 
 THE PERSIAN PRINCES. 121 
 
 furniture in it is exceedingly costly and 
 splendid. A number of the most distinguished 
 nobles of the kingdom were honoured to stand 
 before Her Royal Highness the Princess Victoria. 
 When we entered into the royal presence, we 
 were received by Her Royal Highness the Duchess 
 of Kent; we also met Her Royal Highness the 
 sister of the King, and were introduced to the 
 Princess Victoria. We presented our humble 
 respects, and received the utmost civility, and 
 kind friendship. Her Royal Highness is seventeen 
 years of age, and the only daughter of the late 
 Duke of Kent, who was a brother of his present 
 Majesty. Her Royal Highness is the legitimate 
 heir to the throne, by the right of the precious 
 blood of her father and herself. Although King 
 William the Fourth has several children, yet as 
 their mother is not of the royal blood, they have 
 no right whatever to inherit, and the Princess 
 most certainly vvdll come to the throne, bemg the 
 daughter of his brother. 
 
 It is the custom of the royal members of the 
 Franks, not to be married to any except those 
 who are of royal blood. When this Princess 
 
 VOL. II. M
 
 122 JOURNAL OF 
 
 comes of age, she must be married to a royal 
 prince. A great many come from different parts, 
 to be honoured with her presence ; she converses 
 with whom she pleases, and he whom she honours 
 with her favour will obtain her hand, but will 
 have nothing to do in the affairs of the kingdom. 
 He will not have a penny from the treasury'', he 
 must bring from his own. The Queen may 
 furnish him vrith money from her private resources, 
 and their children will inherit the throne. In 
 fine, their Royal Highnesses, both the Princess 
 and her mother, were to us exceedingly kind and 
 friendly. I related to them what had just 
 happened, at which they, and all who were present, 
 laughed. Their Royal Highnesses said that they 
 had given us tliis private entertainment, that we 
 might have a better opportunity to see each other. 
 "We expressed our thanks and gratitude for their 
 kindness, and remained till midnight, hearing the 
 royal band of music, which nourished the heart ; 
 we then took our leave and departed. Afterwards 
 we went to a party at the house of a lady of rank, 
 where we met many ladies with whom we were
 
 THE PERSIAN PRINCES. 123 
 
 acquainted ; and after spending a little time, 
 departed to our residence. 
 
 Thursday, the 1st of Rabeah the second, three 
 hours before sunset, we entered the carriage, 
 and went to a house in which the Lodge of 
 Friendship of Freemasons was assembled. Here 
 we had the honour to join the Lodge, where aU of 
 us took our first degree in this most noble society. 
 Every man who desires to join it, must go himself 
 and see. But I can say this, that it is a most 
 honourable, desirable, and sacred secret. Every 
 person that desires to become a member, must be 
 above the age of twenty-two years. No slave, nor 
 woman, is admissible. Every member must be a 
 free person, and of a free father. A person may 
 take the three first degrees of Freemasonry, within 
 a year and a half, and the fourth after that period 
 has elapsed. A freemason, after taking his degrees, 
 will have a patent from the head of the society, 
 signed by the nobles, declaring him to be such. 
 The head of all the freemasons in the world, is 
 His Royal Highness the Duke of Sussex, a 
 brother of his Majesty. The word freemason is
 
 124 
 
 JOURNAL OF 
 
 composed of two words ; " free," which signifies 
 Azad, and " mason," which means Banna. Free- 
 masons of each degree have their own signs, till 
 they reach the highest degree. This is all I can 
 say about freemasonry. Thank God we became 
 members, which we had had a very strong desire 
 to do in our hearts for many years, and now 
 obtained what we were long most anxious to 
 know. We remained with the Lodge till four 
 hours after sunset, and returned to our residence. 
 Friday the 2nd, Mohammed Ismael Khan, the 
 ambassador of Oude, came to see us, and dined 
 with us with some other friends, because they had 
 requested a dinner of Persian dishes, which Taki, 
 our cook, had prepared. In the evening we went 
 
 to a party at Lady M 's, which was similar to 
 
 those I have already described. 
 
 Saturday the 3rd, we went out of London to 
 
 visit Lady F . Her house is beautifiilly 
 
 situated on the bank of the river Thames, adjoin- 
 ing an elegant garden, adorned with delightful 
 flowers, and possessing excellent air. Here we 
 met a company of ladies brilliant as the sun. After 
 we had enjoyed the pleasure of the deKghtful
 
 THE PERSIAN PRINCES. 125 
 
 odours of the garden, and admired the rosy cheeks 
 of the visitors, we sat down to dinner, which was 
 served up with all kinds of delicious dishes of 
 sweetmeats and fruits. After dinner we went 
 again into the garden, where every one took a 
 lady by the hand. The garden was prepared for 
 a ball, and all danced just in the same manner as 
 I have already described. Then we approached 
 the ladies, complimenting them on their fine 
 dancing. Tea was then served, after which we 
 returned to our residence. 
 
 Sunday the 14th, some of the nobles called to 
 see us, and we had no time to go out. Mr. Fraser 
 called also, and said, " That the Government had 
 invited us to go out of London, and review the 
 royal artillery." We accepted the invitation, being 
 desirous to witness such an exhibition. 
 
 Monday the 5th. Four hours before noon we 
 entered the carriage, and went twelve miles out of 
 London, where there is a very large city on the 
 river Thames. This place is called the royal 
 magazine of war. There is nothing in this large 
 city but instruments of war, and every thing neces- 
 sary for the artillery and troops, and other depart- 
 M 2
 
 126 JOURNAL OF 
 
 ments of the war service. Although through- 
 out England, Scotland, and Ireland, there is not a 
 span of land uncultivated or uninhabited, yet this 
 city is wholly devoted to the purpose of war, being 
 furnished with ammunition, and all kinds of mili- 
 tary implements. Three parasangs outside of the 
 city, in every direction, are occupied simply by 
 soldiers, and whatever is necessary for them in their 
 battles. In fact, there is nothing here but what 
 is of a warlike character. The Government having 
 sent word to this place that we were coming to 
 the before-mentioned review to-day, when we 
 arrived at the city, we were met by the general 
 officers, and were conducted to a large lofty palace, 
 which is the residence of the prince of artillery. 
 As soon as he was informed of our arrival, he came 
 out of the palace in full uniform to meet us. Here 
 there were four horses belonging to the king 
 ready for us. We mounted and rode to a fine 
 plain outside the town, accompanied by the 
 generals, colonels, and other officers of rank in the 
 artillery, and were followed by some pieces of 
 cannon, mounted on carriages dravm by horses, 
 which went like hghtning. These were pointed
 
 THE PERSIAN PRINCES. 127 
 
 at a target at two thousand feet distance. They 
 fired at it, and hit it with every ball. Afterwards 
 they were directed at a target more distant, and 
 not a single ball failed. After this we went to 
 another side, where there were some thousands of 
 large cannons of the royal artillery, with every 
 thing belonging to them, all in perfect order. Here 
 we stood under the royal standard. The dexterous 
 artillerymen loaded and fired their cannons quicker 
 than lightning and swifter than the wind. They 
 fired many thousand balls a minute, and the ears 
 of the heavens became deaf from the sound of 
 their firing, and not a single ball missed its mark. 
 Afterwards the artillery with the ofiicers passed 
 before us exercising, and saluted us with the flags 
 down as is done to royalty. After this we were 
 conducted to another place, where we observed 
 several thousand very large cannons, such as we had 
 not before seen, four times larger than the cele- 
 brated cannon of Teheran, and those of Bushire. 
 
 The general officer of the artillery, and the other 
 officers, carried on the exercise in the same man- 
 ner by such firing as we had never before witnessed. 
 So many cannons they fired, that our ears became
 
 128 JOURNAL OF 
 
 quite deaf. Afterwards they began throwing 
 bomb-shells. This most wonderful exhibition I 
 cannot describe, and our pen is astonished, 
 and cannot write an explanation of these mira- 
 cles. Then we suggested that it was enough. 
 The balls and powder which were fired to-day, 
 might have cost 7000 tomans. Afterwards they 
 invited us to see the stores of ammunition, and 
 implements of war. We were conducted to a 
 large plain where there were many very large 
 edifices, any one of which must have cost millions 
 of money : they are so large that each is a quarter 
 of a parasang in circumference. Every one of 
 tliese edifices contains about 5000 men employed 
 in the manufacture of cannon, which look fine and 
 bright like glass. They complete daily twenty- 
 five of them. On one side of this establishment, 
 we observed innumerable cannons manufactured, 
 to be sent to the East and West Indies, and New 
 Holland, and other countries. Afterwards we 
 were conducted to another manufactory, where we 
 saw several thousand men employed in making car- 
 riages. In another place, we observed as many 
 more employed in making muskets for the troops.
 
 THE PERSIAN PRINCES. 129 
 
 In one part of the building, the barrel is made, 
 and then it is immediately carried to another 
 place, where thousands are employed in complet- 
 ing them. They send out daily many hundreds 
 of guns. All these are made by machinery 
 moved by steam. Afterwards we were conducted 
 to a very large manufactory for wood-work, where 
 they have instruments to cut to pieces in a second 
 the largest tree in the world. Then we went to 
 another place where we saw about 600 boys of six 
 and seven years old, engaged in making cartridges. 
 These Kttle boys are instructed to do their work 
 with the greatest facility, and each makes several 
 in a minute, and 2000 in a day. After this we went 
 to a place where we saw many thousand large 
 cases placed one above the other. Tliis was the 
 powder magazine for the ships, troops, castles, &c. 
 and we observed many men examining each case, 
 that should any of the powder be spoiled, they 
 may change it. Now if we were to describe the 
 tenth of what we saw in these stores of balls, guns, 
 powder, and every thing connected with war, the 
 relation would take up fifty years. In fact, such 
 preparations for war, complete and in perfect order,
 
 130 
 
 JOURNAL OF 
 
 cannot be imagined by the mind. We were ex- 
 ceedingly interested with this visit, which we shall 
 not forget in all our lives. Praise be to God ! 
 What an immense power, has the God of the 
 universe given to these people. In fine, only from 
 looking at these things, we became quite tired, 
 and out of oui" senses. Afterwards we were in- 
 vited to a majestic edifice, which is the residence 
 of four general ofiicers, who have the direction of 
 all these affairs. Here we saw most wonderful 
 things which cannot be described. Then we 
 entered our carriage, and returned to our residence. 
 Tuesday the 6th. About the Asser, while we 
 were sitting at home, we heard a noise beneath 
 our windows ; we asked what was the matter ; 
 they said, a balloon is just gone up, and is passing 
 by this way, and the people have come in crowds 
 to gaze at it. Two minutes after, we saw the 
 balloon ascending to heaven. It passed by our 
 abode, and w^e looked at it with a spy-glass, and 
 saw in it two beautiful ladies singing. In the 
 
 evening, we went to a party at Lady H 's, an 
 
 accomphshed and distinguished lady. It was a 
 very delightful assembly.
 
 THE PERSIAN PRINCES. 
 
 131 
 
 Wednesday the 4th. Her Royal Highness the 
 Princess Victoria sent us, for a memento, the 
 likenesses of herself and her royal mother, with 
 a request to have some of our poetical composition 
 in our o\vn hand-writing ; which we most readily 
 granted. We each wrote a quatrain verse of four 
 hemistichs. Her Royal Highness was very much 
 pleased with them ; for they were translated to 
 her in English. This day was very rainy, but as 
 we wished to go and see Bedlam, and the agents 
 of that place had been informed before that our 
 visit would take place on this day, we found it 
 necessary to go, as appointed. We entered our 
 carriage, and other friends accompanied us. We 
 went out of town, and came to a large castle, 
 about two miles in circumference, situated on the 
 bank of the river. All its doors and windows are 
 made of iron. We came to the large gate of 
 entrance, which was shut. When the captain of 
 the castle came, and was told that we were the 
 Persian princes, he opened the gate, and we 
 entered the place. It is four stories high, and 
 contains innumerable rooms. There are two de- 
 partments ; the upper one for the women and girls,
 
 132 JOURNAL OF 
 
 each of whom has a maid-servant ; the lower one for 
 the males, each of whom has likewise a male servant. 
 We were first conducted to the upper department, 
 containing many clean, pleasant rooms, which have 
 delightful views of the gardens around. Every room 
 has afine bedstead, and is elegantly furnished. Every 
 thing desirable and necessary, and in perfect order. 
 This delightful place, with such accommodations, 
 gives any person an inclination to become insane. 
 The maniacs here are at liberty to go about the 
 place, and converse with each other. Every one 
 of the females here does the same work as when 
 she was sane. They employ them in this manner, 
 that they may not forget what they knew before, 
 and to occupy their time. Some of them were 
 sewing, and others were employed in different arts 
 which we had not seen before. Most of them 
 looked very pale and sickly, on account of their 
 diseases. Some were weeping, others laughing, 
 some singing, and others dancing in an insane 
 manner. We looked at all of them. Whenever 
 any of them does the least thing wrong, she is 
 immediately seized, and shut up in a room. She 
 then begs that the door may be opened for her,
 
 THE PERSIAN PRINCES. 133 
 
 and promises repentance ; then she is let out 
 again. Every thing regarding their comfort and 
 happiness is perfectly prepared for them, both in 
 eatables, drinkables, sofas, apparel, &c. 
 
 While we were walking about these places, a 
 fine neat looking girl came to us, and asked us 
 who we were. We repKed, " The Persian princes." 
 ^' Is it true?" said she. "Yes," we answered. 
 Then she said, " I shall always be able to tell 
 hereafter a Persian, by the dress such as you wear." 
 
 We were informed that this young woman was 
 a celebrated poetess. Afterwards she asked us, 
 *' Are you going to stay here, or will you go 
 away ? " we repUed, " We are not insane, of course 
 we shall go back." She said, " Many foreigners 
 come to \asit this place and go back, but they come 
 here in fine weather ; but as you have come so great 
 a distance on such a stormy day for such a useless 
 object, I believe you are also belonging to our 
 company, and it will be necessary that you should 
 join us for a few days till you become sane." 
 Her words made us all laugh till we fainted 
 away.' Afterwards she took my hand, and invited 
 us to her room. We entered her apartment, where 
 
 VOL. II. N
 
 134 JOURNAL OF 
 
 she showed us some of her needle-work, and re- 
 peated some verses of her own poetry. She then 
 said to us, " Notwithstanding you are royal sons 
 and I am the daughter of a peasant, nevertheless, 
 I would not part with my house for your palace, 
 neither would I exchange my insanity for your 
 sanity." She conversed on other things which had 
 notliing to do with her madness. We were told 
 that sometimes she does very strange things. 
 Afterwards she asked us, "Do you fear God as I 
 do?" "Of course," we said. "Have you that 
 divine grace that I have?" We replied, "Yes." 
 Then many tears came to her eyes, and she asked 
 us to leave her apartment, sajdng, " I am not inclin- 
 ed to converse with you any more, leave my room." 
 When we went out, she shut the door after us. 
 From this place we went from one room to another 
 till we had visited all the upper apartments. 
 
 It would be impossible to describe all the strange 
 individuals here, or the wonderful things we saw. 
 The insane females are 275 in number. After 
 this, we were conducted to the lower apartment, 
 occupied by the men, who have their attendants, 
 and every thing necessary, nice and clean. They 
 are also employed in the same manner in their
 
 THE PERSIAN PRINCES. 135 
 
 former business. One of them was a person who 
 twenty years ago, owing to his insanity, had fired 
 a pistol at the king, in order to destroy him. This 
 man is here engaged to take care of and tame 
 birds, which was his former business. Many 
 kinds of curious birds we observed with him in fine 
 cages, that they may lay eggs, which are a source 
 of profit to him. He, though in this condition, 
 taught some parrots to speak English. We observed 
 another person here, who tried to kill a prince. 
 This man having been liberally educated, is a 
 naturalist and astronomer, for which he has great 
 taste, and he is here amongst his books and ap- 
 paratus, engaged in his former pursuits. Others 
 were engaged in reading the Scriptures, and some, 
 who are raving, had chains on their hands. Others 
 had heavier chains, because (as we were informed) 
 they were in the height of madness. One of them 
 continues incessantly to make a most terrible 
 noise ; we were told that he was an Italian, who 
 had been here in this condition for seventeen years, 
 perpetually making this noise. There was also 
 one who, we were informed, is always seeking to 
 destroy himself whenever he is left alone, in con-
 
 136 
 
 JOURNAL OF 
 
 sequence of which the attendant never leaves him. 
 Two years ago this madman made a great fire, in 
 which he put his head till his scalp was burnt. 
 When the servants discovered him, they took him 
 away from the fire, and a medical man was imme- 
 diately brought to him, and his life was preserved. 
 That part of his head was artificially covered. This 
 person, while we were here, performed most singular 
 acts, and we were persuaded that if he were to be 
 left alone, he would immediately put an end to his 
 life. However, we saw many sorts of insane per- 
 sons, the description of which would lengthen the 
 book. The number of men is 300. 
 
 From this we were conducted to the medical 
 department, where there are some physicians ap- 
 pointed on purpose to attend upon the maniacs. 
 They meet twice a week, and direct their food, and 
 examine them. Whenever a person is perfectly 
 cured, he is let out. This estabhshment is sup- 
 ported by government. 
 
 After we had seen every thing in tliis castle, 
 they conducted us to another, which is built by its 
 side. This is a very large edifice, containing two 
 divisions, one opposite the other. In one of these
 
 THE PERSIAN PRINCES. 137 
 
 we observed some fine-looking young girls, from 
 ten to twenty years of age, each occupied in dif- 
 ferent labours. In the same manner, in the 
 opposite part, we saw some fine young boys en- 
 gaged in difierent arts. We were informed that 
 this edifice was built on purpose for such boys and 
 girls as have been in the habit of steahng, or doing 
 such mischiefs, and do not reform, lest they should 
 grow up without any employment, and become 
 bad people ; they are brought here to be reformed, 
 and are taught some art for which they show a 
 taste. They are maintained here, and are never 
 let out, till they become complete masters of the 
 art they are learning. By this means the girls find 
 husbands, and the men wives, and live by their 
 business. In truth it is a most excellent establish- 
 ment. We verily this day became quite tired of 
 looking at so many things. 
 
 Saturday the 24th. Some princes, vizirs, and 
 nobles called upon us. In the evening we ac- 
 companied a large number of ladies to the Opera, 
 where we saw the same wonderful plays which we 
 have before described. 
 
 Sunday, the 25th. We went to the enter tain- 
 N 2
 
 138 JOURNAL OF 
 
 ment of some of the beautiful and accompKshed 
 ladies, for whose redemption I would give my 
 soul. 
 
 Monday the 26th. We visited Meerza Ibrahim, 
 at the East India Company's college. The said 
 Meerza Ibrahim is an accompKshed gentleman, 
 whose noble conduct proves his high education. 
 His father was the late honourable Mullah Noori 
 Mohammed, of Shiraz, with whom we and his son 
 learnt the grammar. He died at the holy tomb of 
 Imaum Reeza, (peace be upon him !) in Khorassan. 
 The Meerza, after the death of his father, came to 
 Teheran ; where he spent some time, and after- 
 wards went to Constantinople and other parts, and 
 at last came to England, where he is living now, 
 quite in a different state from his father. The 
 Meerza being a good Persian and Arabic scholar, 
 has obtained an appointment in this college for 
 teaching the two languages to students designed for 
 the East India Company's service. He has, during 
 his stay here, wonderfully learnt a great many of 
 their sciences and laws. He is now translating a 
 book of their best history from the English to the 
 Persian, one-half of which he has already finished:
 
 THE PERSIAN PRINCES. 139 
 
 should he ever complete this work, it vsiU be of 
 very great use to the Persian historians. Now, as 
 we happened to come to this country, he offered 
 us night and day his services, and was never fa- 
 tigued by the trouble we gave him ; in truth he is 
 a real friend. On this day he invited us to the 
 college, which is a noble institution, and in com- 
 plete order. There are in it professors of aU the 
 high sciences, both of the Mohammedan, and the 
 Frank, and the Greek literature, and of all lan- 
 guages. There may be in this coUege about 
 10,000 students. This edifice cost the sum of 
 400,000 tomans. Its legacies afford an income of 
 100,000 tomans per annum, for the expenses of 
 the college, and paaintenance of the students in a 
 comfortable manner. Its rich library contains 
 50,000 voliunes, out of which there are about 
 3000 of the best Persian and Arabic works. We 
 observed among them four books of the Methnawi* 
 in his own hand-writing. When we had examined 
 what was to be seen in the college the dinner was 
 served, and afterwards we took a pleasant walk in 
 
 * A celebrated poet of the East, who wrote a book of moral doctrine 
 in a specieB of metre.
 
 140 JOURNAL OF 
 
 the delightful gardens which are attached to it ; 
 on the whole we had a very pleasant visit. In the 
 evening we returned to London. 
 
 Tuesday, the 29th. We were invited to Lady 
 
 K 's, where we enjoyed the sight of some 
 
 beautiful, handsome, angehc faces, which caused 
 the assembly to be exceedingly delightful. 
 
 Wednesday, the 30th. This morning we were 
 invited by some beautiful houries to accompany 
 them to the Zoological Gardens ; and as it was of 
 importance to accept the invitation of the pos- 
 sessors of such charming eyes, we joined their 
 party. In these gardens, we saw a very large 
 rhinoceros, wliich broke his cage of iron, and 
 made a dreadful noise ; many of the attendants 
 followed him, till he became tired, when they 
 seized him, and restored him to his cage. We 
 also beheld many wonderful and strange beasts 
 and birds, which are indescribable. Afterwards 
 we went to the Bazaars, and gazed at the different 
 specimens of English art. Verily every thing 
 that we saw astonished us. How wonderfully 
 they conduct their trade ! In a jeweller's shop 
 we saw a lady's belt of brilliant diamonds, which
 
 THE PERSIAN PRINCES. 141 
 
 was ordered by a lady of rank, who paid for its 
 work alone, 8000 tomans. From this you may 
 imagine the value of the articles in their shops. 
 Afterwards we went to a large and lofty edifice 
 which was built by Government for the public. 
 This place is adorned with many splendid pictures. 
 Every person is allowed to enter gratis. The 
 imiumerable and beautiful pictures that we saw 
 here are beyond description. There is also in 
 this place, a picture of Jesus, the son of Mary, 
 (peace be upon him !) with his disciples, healing 
 some diseased and dying persons. By the powerful 
 influence of his Spirit, he granted to them restora- 
 tion to health and life. These pictures cost 8000 
 or 10,000 tomans. It was indeed a very interesting 
 visit. From this place we went to the house of a 
 person whose business is to take care of fleas, and 
 tame them. The relation of what we saw of these 
 fleas at this place, how they are tamed, and taught 
 to act most wonderfully, %vill imdoubtedly be 
 taken only for a lie. No one would ever believe 
 that these little insects could be instructed in such 
 a manner. However, whether it be beheved or 
 not, we will write down what we saw of them, for
 
 142 JOURNAL OF 
 
 our o\ATi gratification. These fleas are kept in a 
 damp place, where they grow. They are placed 
 in a glass case, which magnifies them exceedingly. 
 There are some apartments in this box where they 
 are quartered. They are broken to draw carriages, 
 just as our horses are taught to draw carriages of 
 cannon. Whatever details we may give of these 
 fleas will appear incredible; however, we are 
 determined to mention what we observed. Four 
 of these fleas drew a carriage of ten drachms 
 weight, in harness, and turned exactly like horses. 
 Two others stood for coachmen, with a whip of 
 hair to drive the rest. On one side of their box, 
 there is a vessel full of water, on which there is a 
 little thing in the form of a ship, with sails, and an 
 anchor in the water, just like a vessel in harbour. 
 About ten or twelve fleas drew the anchor up, 
 others went up the masts and spread the sails, 
 their chief or captain taking the helm ; and thus 
 this ship of fleas actually sailed on the water. In 
 another place we observed a wheel and a rope in 
 perfect order. In the box there was a little 
 musical instrument, on wliich the fleas played ; 
 other fleas played on the rope, and some danced.
 
 THE PERSIAN PRINCES. 143 
 
 We observed also a large flea, which was a 
 soothsayer, telling fortunes and future events. 
 This was done as follows : — A plate is figured in 
 lines of different colours, hke an astrolabe. Some 
 of these indicate good, and others bad fortunes. 
 There is fixed to it a kind of pointer, attached by 
 a chain to the neck of the flea. The person who 
 wishes to have his fortune told puts his question. 
 The flea will then walk about, and the pointer wiU 
 move. Whenever it stops, it will inform him 
 whether he has a good or bad fortune. These 
 fleas are fed on human blood twice a day, once 
 early in the morning, and again in the evening. 
 Those that are educated, that is, such as become 
 tame, are well fed, and those that are not tamed, 
 are allowed but little, till they become learned; 
 and then they are sold, and purchased. The 
 master of these fleas has one which he has kept 
 for two years ; he would not take a horse for it. 
 In fine, we think we had better stop, as what we 
 saw of the curious and most wonderful acts 
 performed by these fleas, would require much time 
 to describe. 
 
 Thursday, the 31st, we went to a celebrated
 
 144 JOURNAL OF 
 
 garden which is generally visited by distinguished 
 personages. It was a beautiful, delightful spot, 
 containing all kinds of elegant flowers. Afterwards 
 we visited a place where there was a large balloon 
 for twelve persons, and ha^ing witnessed its ascent, 
 we returned to our mansion. In the evening, we 
 went to visit the honourable and distinguished 
 
 Lady S , where we met a very pleasant and 
 
 delightful assembly. 
 
 Friday the 1st, of Giamad the first, three hours 
 before sunset, we \'isited an edifice in a large 
 garden, situated on the river Thames. In this 
 place young men are taught to ride on horseback, 
 and perform other exercises. 
 
 Saturday the 2nd, Sunday the 3rd, and Monday 
 the 4th. In the day-time we visited some places 
 of consequence, and in the evenings we went to 
 entertainments. 
 
 Tuesday the 5th, we went out of London to 
 take the air at a town called Richmond, which is 
 an exceedingly delightful place, supplied with pure 
 air and excellent water, and surrounded by 
 beautiful gardens situated on the river Thames. 
 We alighted at an hotel called the Star, which is 
 
 9
 
 THE PERSIAN PRINCES. 145 
 
 pleasantly situated in a very delightful garden, 
 containing all kinds of beautiful flowers. Here 
 we dined, and about sunset we returned to 
 London. 
 
 Wednesday, the 6th. I visited that place which 
 represented the snow, and the village in the moun- 
 tain, which my brothers had before seen : it is, in- 
 deed, a very amusing exhibition. 
 
 Thursday, the 7th. In the afternoon we paid 
 a visit to Noori Effendi, the ambassador of Sultan 
 Mahmood. He hves in a house pleasantly situated, 
 with pure air and excellent water. We conversed 
 a little time together on different topics, and he 
 presented us with some leban,* which he had just 
 received from Constantinople : in truth we were 
 quite pleased to fall in with such a treat, and ate 
 of it with a good appetite. Leban is a curious 
 dish to the Franks, as they know nothing about it. 
 After we had spent an hour with Noori Effendi, we 
 went to see the panorama of a celebrated city of 
 Spanish America. This city is called Larissa; 
 they have a picture of it, just hke that of London 
 
 • Sour milk. 
 VOL. II. O
 
 14G JOURNAL OF 
 
 already mentioned. Verily, according to its re- 
 presentation, it must be a very large and fine city: 
 there are around it some lofty mountains covered 
 with snow, and surrounded by the sea. What a 
 wonderful sight it was ! 
 
 As to America, which is known in the Turkish 
 language by the name of Yanki Dooniah, or the 
 New World ; it is one of the foiu" diWsions of the 
 world ; but, according to its geometrical dimen- 
 sions, it is nearly as large as the other three to- 
 gether ; or, perhaps, equal to half the globe. The 
 reason of its being called America is as follows : — 
 After Columbus the pliilosopher had taken pos- 
 session of the coasts of these dominions, he built 
 some forts, and left some companies of Spanish 
 soldiers, with artillery and anmiunition, to guard 
 the country. He also very strongly directed the 
 officers to watch it with very great precaution, and 
 to be exceedingly civil towards the natives : then, 
 with the view of returning to Spain, in order to be 
 in person the announcer of these great and joyful 
 tidings to the king who sent him, he collected all 
 the particulars of this new world, and prepared 
 himself to report to his government all the details.
 
 THE PERSIAN PRINCES. 147 
 
 He then embarked on board his ship for Spain. 
 He was a long time navigating the great sea before 
 he reached the coast of Spain. Now there was an 
 officer named Amerigo belonging to the ship of 
 the philosopher Columbus, who was with him at 
 the time. This officer, on their arrival near the 
 coast, when Columbus had retired to sleep, took a 
 boat, and found his way to the capital, and de- 
 livered the tidings ; for which he was satisfactorily 
 rewarded ; and the new world was called after his 
 name America. 
 
 The continent of America is divided into two 
 large divisions, North and South. It is ten thou- 
 sand miles long, and about two thousand in breadth. 
 Its North, on account of the extreme cold, cannot 
 be explored, for it borders upon the dark places, 
 and the Russian confines. From its extreme cold 
 it cannot be visited, and no one knows what there 
 is to be found there, except the natives who may 
 inhabit it. Its three sides are bounded by the 
 great sea, and the Atlantic. The surrounding sea 
 separates America from Asia, and the Atlantic 
 divided it from Europe and Africa. Between the 
 coasts of North and South America there is a
 
 148 JOURNAL OF 
 
 large bay, called the Gulf of Mexico, in which 
 there are several islands, called the "West Indies. 
 The reason of their taking that name is as follows : 
 when the wise Columbus of Spain arrived at these 
 islands, he imagined them to be a part of the East 
 Indies, and therefore called them islands of India. 
 But afterwards, when more of America was dis- 
 covered, and these islands were known to belong to 
 America, the word west was added to them. 
 Nature, as exliibited in America, is grand beyond 
 measure ; its mountains extending from the North 
 to the South Pole. One of the ranges bears the 
 name of Rocky, or Stony mountains. Another of 
 them is called the Andes, in wliich are some of the 
 loftiest mountains in the world; one of them, Chim- 
 borazo, being some miles in height. These magni- 
 ficent mountains cause the immense rivers of 
 America ; besides which there are innumerable 
 large and pleasant fountains of spring water. The 
 great rivers are named as follows : Mississippi, 
 Oronoko, Amazon, Riodela Plata, Delaware, Ohio, 
 Sekousi, Pedi, Santi, Savana, Bonos, Allhala, 
 Bomos, and Missomi. The Missouri is 3090 
 miles long, and the Mississippi 2000 ; the river
 
 THE PERSIAN PRINCES. 149 
 
 Andelos is 3000 miles long, and 30 miles wide. 
 In fact, each of these rivers is of an extraordinary 
 size ; and, together, cause the most plentiful 
 produce. Besides, in North America there is a 
 lake of 680 miles long, and 160 broad ; and several 
 others, which are named as follows : Michigan, 
 Superior, and Ontario. In South America there 
 are also four lakes, MarkaH, Walakia, Pitikaka, 
 and Kesserac. 
 
 All the inhabitants of America are of European 
 origin. Every one of the European powers has 
 a portion of America, which they are always en- 
 deavouring to enlarge by colonizing, cultivating, &c. 
 Besides there are several independent kingdoms 
 which originated from Em-ope. They are now free 
 in their government, and have a parhament, and 
 general councils, and enjoy the most extensive 
 liberty. They have too a large government, which 
 is called the United States. Their cities may 
 nearly be compared to those of London and Paris, 
 and any art invented in Em-ope will also appear 
 amongst them. Moreover, steam na^dgation was 
 an invention of their own, and was afterwards in- 
 troduced into Europe. Their form of government 
 
 o 2
 
 150 JOURNAL OF 
 
 is as follows ; Every four years, they appoint a man 
 to become their king, for that period of time. The 
 following is the reason they assign for this prac- 
 tice. "Our country," say they, "being a liberal and 
 free one, and the property of the inhabitants, every 
 one has a right to govern ; this being the case, 
 let every man reign four years, and by this justice 
 all being alike, every one will receive and enjoy 
 his right." Their country is beautifully cultivated, 
 and produces every thing eatable, &c. They have 
 a large navy in the sea. It is, after the EngUsh, 
 greater than that of any European kingdom, and 
 perhaps even equal to the EngUsh, because there 
 is more liberty there, than in any other part of 
 Europe. This being the case, the people of 
 Europe are constantly wishing to emigrate thither, 
 and whosoever goes there, may take an unculti- 
 vated and miappropriated piece of land, and cid- 
 tivate it to himself, and build a house, &c. which 
 becomes his property, and by this means he makes 
 his fortune. The original natives of America, 
 now that hberty is granted them, and they are 
 no longer slaves, are many of them advancing in 
 civiUzation. Some of them, however, cannot be
 
 THE PERSIAN PRINCES. 151 
 
 tamed, they inhabit the wild forests and caves in 
 the mountains, living on animals taken in the 
 chase, and clad with their skins. If any stranger 
 should fall into their hands, they will kill him and 
 eat him just like an animal. AU sorts of ore 
 are to be fomid in America, that of gold is parti- 
 cularly plentiful. The whole present population 
 is a hundred millions, inhabiting fine large cities ; 
 the panorama of one of which we have just visited, 
 presenting a magnificent and splendid appearance. 
 
 After this, we visited another city of Italy, in 
 the same way, through its picture ; a descrip- 
 tion of which, as being an artificial representation, 
 by paints, &c., could never be conceived of by 
 the human mind, but it must be seen in person. 
 Afterwards we went into the Park, to gaze a little 
 at those people who go out in their carriages in 
 the evening, and then returned home. 
 
 Thursday evening, we went to the house of 
 
 Lady S , where we met several of the nobiHty 
 
 and great personages of this kingdom. It was a 
 magnificent assembly, where we also gazed at 
 some Wonderful amusements. 
 
 Friday the 8th, in the afternoon, we went to
 
 152 JOURNAL OF 
 
 the entertainment of Mrs. L . She is an ho- 
 nourable, accomplished, and well-known lady. 
 
 Saturday the 9th, the King went to prorogue 
 the Parliament, to wliich we were invited, and had 
 an excellent exhibition of their majestic proceed- 
 ing in this matter. 
 
 On Sunday the 10th, and Monday the 11th, 
 during the day we visited some places of exhibi- 
 tion, and at night we went to entertainments. 
 
 Tuesday the 12th, we went to the entertain- 
 ment of Mrs. V. S , and in the evening visited 
 
 the opera, where we saw some wonderful and 
 miraculous representations, which it is impossible 
 to describe. 
 
 Wednesday the 13th, we received some news 
 from Government, from which we understood that 
 our departure was near, and would take place the 
 ensuing week. This day we took a ride on horse- 
 back in the Park, where ladies and gentlemen go 
 daily. 
 
 Thursday the 14th, we visited some beautiful 
 gardens, a few miles from the city. On oiu" way 
 back, we met a crowd of people in a certain place, 
 and asked what was the cause : they replied, that
 
 THE PERSIAN PRINCES. 153 
 
 there were several balloons just about ascending. 
 We then directed the coachman to the above- 
 mentioned place, a very large garden, where we 
 saw a great number of women, men, and children, 
 who had come to see the balloons ascend. A 
 few minutes after, they departed to the sky, and 
 gradually ascended some miles, till every one of 
 them looked as if it were a ball in the atmosphere. 
 They were five in number : one of them was defi- 
 cient in its construction, so that the light air or 
 gas which was in it, and would otherwise have 
 caused its ascension, went out, and it filled with 
 the heavy air. There were in this balloon a man 
 and a woman, who both fell to the ground from that 
 height. The bones of the man, we observ^ed, were 
 ground like powder, but there was life still left 
 in the woman. She was immediately carried 
 to an hospital, and attended by medical men, 
 through whose learning, and wisdom, and medi- 
 cine, she was restored. However, such an acci- 
 dent, of course, is rare ; but God's protection ex- 
 tends beyond this. 
 
 In the evening we went to the entertainment of 
 Mrs. R . Here we met the beautiful circle
 
 154 JOURNAL OF 
 
 of the family, our hosts. With fine arms of jas- 
 mine colour, hair of ambergris odour, eyes of the 
 gazelle, and conversations sweet as sugar-candy. 
 These lovely houries sat around us with their 
 splendid musical instruments, and with sweet and 
 lovely voices revived the heart. Indeed, here 
 we felt the unpleasant feelings of bidding them 
 good-bye. Oh, how unsupportable is the word 
 — farewell ! how is it possible that the body can 
 live \vithout the sold ? What a melancholy mix- 
 ture of night ! at first full of joy and pleasure, 
 afterwards full of grief and sorrow at leaving this 
 dear assembly. Alas! for the changes of time! 
 woe ! at being far from love ! 
 
 Friday the 15th. We went to the stable of the 
 king's horses. Here we examined all the royal 
 horses, both for carriages and for riding. In truth, 
 they were most distinguished animals. Here also 
 we observed strange horses, which differed a great 
 deal from the rest ; they have beautiful necks, two 
 pikes and a half in length, their hoofs are exceed- 
 ingly large, their manes reach to the ground, and 
 on the whole have a wonderful appearance. After- 
 wards we gazed at the different royal carriages of
 
 THE PERSIAN PRINCES. 155 
 
 State. In fine, every thing most magnificent is 
 prepared for this king. On our way to our mansion 
 we heard a great noise of dogs barking. I asked 
 the reason, they replied, there is a house where 
 dogs are sold, in fact, a dog-market ; here all kinds 
 of this animal may be seen and purchased. In 
 order to see this also, I dismoimted and entered 
 the house, where I observed some most curious 
 and strange dogs. Here, also, they are trained ; 
 the dealer was ofiered 350 tomans for a pair of 
 these dogs, which he refused. I asked the reason 
 of not taking that price, and what could be the 
 superiority of these two dogs, that they should be 
 valued at so much, and what was their use. The 
 proprietor replied, " There is no superiority of 
 science or learning in the dogs, yet when ladies or 
 their daughters take a fancy to a certain one, and 
 desire to purchase it, then that is the value, and 
 my opportunity for demanding as high a price as 
 I choose, because she is determined to have it." 
 Some dogs are sometimes sold for 1000 tomans. 
 
 Saturday the 16th. We went and visited some 
 pleasant gardens and other places. 
 
 Sunday the 17th. We went to see the ship
 
 156 JOURNAL OF 
 
 which the King of England was about to send as 
 a present to Seid Said, the Imaum of Muscat. 
 Although the Imaum has been a long time an ally 
 of the British government, yet in the year 1252 of 
 the Hegira, Seid Said, as a proof of liis union of 
 friendship, and his adherence to the British govern- 
 ment, and for the sake of increasing these feelings, 
 sent the well-knovsoi and most noble ship the 
 Liverpool^ which was in the Persian gulf, and the 
 sea of Aman, with other valuable articles, as pre- 
 sents, by his friend Captain Cogan, to his Majesty 
 the English Badishah. The King of Great Britain, 
 in his way of kindness, has also presented tlie 
 Imaum a splendid sliip, and Captain Cogan has 
 been ordered to take her to Muscat. As they 
 knew my friendship >vith the Imaum, they wished 
 us to see this royal gift that was going to him. 
 Government had directed the Captain to invite us 
 to see the ship, and our visit took place to-day. 
 We, with the captain and his lady, went out of 
 London the distance of foiu- miles, to a place on 
 the bank of the river Thames. Here there are 
 some canals most wonderfully constructed for the 
 purpose of building ships of war, where the ship
 
 THE PERSIAN PRINCES. 157 
 
 for the Imaum lay at anchor. Such adorned 
 complete perfection we had never seen before. 
 Although in size she is not large, yet there is no 
 house so pleasantly constructed, nor did we ever 
 see any edifice equal to her in beauty. She cost 
 160,000 tomans, and is fifty feet long, and carries 
 ten cannon ; you cannot form an idea of the beauty 
 of this fine vessel. Afterwards we went to the 
 entertainment of a captain who has been long in 
 the East Indies. On our way we observed a mag- 
 nificent edifice in a most delightful situation on 
 the bank of the river, and many ladies and gen- 
 tlemen walking about, and gazing at it. In the 
 same place we observed a great number of very 
 old men, whose age showed that they were in- 
 capable of work. "We asked what this place was, 
 and who were those people. They replied, " This 
 edifice is constructed by Government for sailors of 
 the royal navy, who have oifered their services 
 during their times of strength. When they arrive 
 at this age, and can serve no longer, they come to 
 this place, where they are comfortably maintained 
 and clothed by Government, and thus they spend 
 the remainder of their lives. When they die they 
 
 VOL. II. P
 
 158 JOURNAL OF 
 
 are buried in the cemetery belonging to the esta- 
 blishment. Their children are also supported and 
 educated at the expense of Government, till they 
 arrive at the age of puberty, after wliich they are 
 employed in the service of their fathers." After 
 learning this account, we visited the institution, 
 where we obser^'ed innumerable drawings of ships 
 of war, and of all their battles, and also of the 
 kings who reigned when they took place, and who 
 had departed from this world while they were 
 engaged in war. Indeed, to describe all that we 
 saw here would over-lengthen this journal. One 
 of the former admirals, who was killed during the 
 war with France, was on deck during the whole of 
 the battle, and received a ball, which caused his 
 death while firm and active. This admiral haring 
 been so courageous on this occasion, they took the 
 coat bedaubed with blood, which he had on, and 
 have ever since preserved it most honourably and 
 respectfully in a box of glass. In truth we were 
 tired with only admiring what there is here to be 
 seen. Afterwards we went to the house of the 
 captain, which is pleasantly situated on the river 
 Thames, and dined, and passed a very pleasant day.
 
 THE PERSIAN PRINCES. 159 
 
 Monday, we went to Dr. Money's, in order to 
 acquire some information concerning the disease 
 of the small-pox, and from him we learnt the way 
 of preventing its dangerous consequences. 
 
 On Friday, the 19th, as our departure was to 
 take place on the following day, we went to the 
 Foreign Office, to bid Lord Palmerston farewell. 
 The Foreign Office is a very large edifice, con- 
 taining many rooms. This is the department 
 where the vizir for foreign affairs transacts his 
 business. He attends here daily, from one o'clock 
 until sunset. In the same manner all the other 
 vizirs have different apartments. In this depart- 
 ment there is a separate office for the vizir him- 
 self, and several sitting-rooms for such persons 
 as visit him. These rooms are also of three 
 orders, first, second, and third ; the higher class 
 of people who come to see him are shown into 
 the best room, and so the second and third. He 
 receives one after the other : when the person 
 is called in to him he relates his business, and 
 when he has done he rings the bell that another 
 person may be shown in, &c. In fact, as long 
 as a minister remains in office, he is perpetually
 
 160 JOURNAL OF 
 
 visited, and, moreover, has to direct all despatches 
 and orders to all the different parts of the world. 
 However we, on this day, saw him, and all our 
 business was settled according to our requests ; 
 we then bade him good bye. In truth, he was 
 exceedingly friendly. In the evening we went to 
 the entertainment of Captain Grindlay. His 
 house is most pleasantly situated in a delightful 
 garden, having pure water, with excellent air. 
 Here we met a noble company of ladies and 
 gentlemen, and some musicians. After dinner, 
 some part of the night was spent in music and 
 singing by beautiful ladies, and afterwards we re- 
 turned to our mansion. 
 
 Wednesday the 24th. Taymoor Meerza was 
 accidentally taken ill with a fever, which pre- 
 vented our departure. But two of our servants 
 this day, ^vith some of the heavy baggage, went 
 by sea, to proceed on their journey by the route 
 of Damascus, as the heavy luggage could not be 
 carried by land to Constantinople. 
 
 Wednesday evening we were invited by Captain 
 Cogan to the ship for the Imaum. The captain 
 gave tliis evening a splendid ball on board. We
 
 THE PERSIAN PRINCES. 161 
 
 saw many beautiful ladies dancing ; in truth, we 
 spent a very pleasant part of the night, and re- 
 turned home. 
 
 Thursday, the 21st. We were not able to leave 
 on account of Taymoor Meerza's indisposition, 
 and, by Dr. Money's advice, our departure was 
 postponed imtil Saturday. 
 
 Friday, the 22nd, was spent in the hotel, on 
 account of Taymoor Meerza. 
 
 Saturday, the 23rd of Jamad the first, or Sep- 
 tember the 3rd, early in the morning, Fraser Saheb 
 called upon us, saying that every thing requested 
 from Government on our behalf was settled, and 
 that nothing was now wanting ; that he was or- 
 dered by Government to accompany us as 
 mihmandar to Constantinople, and there to ar- 
 range every thing respecting our further journey 
 comfortably; and also that he was ready to offer 
 us any possible service in his power for our 
 pleasure, and that carriages, &c., for starting 
 were quite prepared. On this day, about noon, 
 we bade our friends, who came to see us, good 
 bye, and left London. We were nearly four 
 months in London, spending every other day in a 
 p 2
 
 162 JOURNAL OF 
 
 garden, and every second in an exhibition ; not a 
 day or a night passed without our receiving some 
 invitation, and it was impossible for us to accept 
 all that were proposed, so that such places as we 
 were more anxiously invited to, and to which we 
 desired to go, were fixed a month previous to our 
 being able to accomplish the engagement. In 
 fine, we cannot even describe an item of the 
 friendsliip and hospitality which we received from 
 the people of this kingdom, from the king to the 
 poorest, from the highest to the lowest, from both 
 old and yomig. During the short time of our 
 stay here, we formed such acquaintance and 
 friendship amongst them, that it caused all of us 
 very insupportable pain to leave each other. 
 Verily we can never forget these friends. All 
 the time of our stay at Mivart's, which is the best 
 hotel, we were the King's guests; indeed the 
 kindness and friendship that he ordered towards 
 us has imposed upon us an obUgation for ever. 
 If a man wishes to travel and examine this king- 
 dom, and desires to know much about it ; in 
 short, if he should be a philosopher, and should 
 everj- day and hour visit new arts and exhibi- 
 3
 
 THE PERSIAN PRINCES. 163 
 
 tions, &c., were he to remain here a hundred 
 years, he would be unable to see the tenth part. 
 But I have done according to the saying, " If it 
 cannot all be comprehended, it must not all be 
 neglected." In this short time I have written 
 what I have seen and can recollect; it will be 
 taken into consideration that I do not understand 
 their language. May the end be happy ! 
 
 Saturday the 23rd of Jamad the first, or Septem- 
 ber 3rd, 1836, an hour before noon, we started 
 from London ; and after travelling forty-one miles, 
 towards sunset we arrived at a town called Sit- 
 tingbourne. We aUghted at an hotel, where every 
 thing imaginable, both as to eatables and drinka- 
 bles, was comfortably furnished for the conve- 
 nience of travellers. We spent the night here 
 most dehghtfully. 
 
 Sunday the 24th. After breakfast, about two 
 hours before noon, we left this place, and tra- 
 velled aU the way until we arrived at a place 
 called Canterbury. It is a beautiful city, sur- 
 rounded with delightful gardens. Although it 
 was now the season of autumn, nevertheless the 
 ground was as green as emerald, adorned with
 
 164 JOURNAL OF 
 
 natural flowers. At this place we rested a little, 
 changed horses, and set off; and after travelling 
 thirty-two miles, arrived at Dover the same day, 
 where we alighted at a large hotel, called the Ship 
 Inn. Dover is a sea-port town on the English 
 coast, situated in the channel which separates 
 England from the main land of France. This 
 channel is twenty-three miles across, and by 
 means of several steam vessels communication is 
 held four times a day between this and the 
 opposite coast of France, which may be seen by 
 the eye. Besides, we observed in this harbour a 
 good nunibir of mercantile vessels. About sun- 
 set the colonel of the place called upon us, mani- 
 festing his friendship, and it was arranged that on 
 the following morning we should embark on board 
 the royal packet for the opposite coast of France. 
 During the whole of this night a dreadful hurri- 
 cane took place, and continued until the after- 
 noon ; but it having calmed a little, we embarked 
 at four o'clock, and in two hours and a half crossed 
 the chaimel, and landed at Calais. Here we went 
 to an hotel, called Dessein's, which is furnished in 
 the same mamier as those of England, and on
 
 THE PERSIAN PRINCES. 165 
 
 Tuesday, the 26th, we left. In all our way 
 we passed by and through respectable cities and 
 strong fortifications. The ground was as green 
 as emerald, with fine trees in great number, and 
 every place was thickly populated. Here we ob- 
 served the curious sheep of this country, which 
 have a tail like that of a bullock ; the swine have 
 very long tails. We travelled the whole of the 
 day, every second, meeting with habitations and 
 new people, until at sunset, after travelling 
 twenty-five miles, we reached a place called St. 
 Omer's, which is a town of France. Here we 
 alighted at a very lofty hotel where we spent the 
 night. 
 
 Wednesday the 27th, we left the above place, 
 and passed through a large city called Bailleul, 
 and from this we came to another, called Lisle ; 
 here we stopped four hours. A great number of 
 people came around the hotel, simply to gaze at 
 our physiognomy, and our costume. We in the 
 mean time, had also a view of them. This city is 
 the border of France in our direction. As to 
 France, it is one of the celebrated kingdoms of 
 Europe. Although in regard to size and popu-
 
 166 JOURNAL OF 
 
 lation, it exceeds England, yet it has not the 
 perfect order of that country. Paris is its capital, 
 which is one of the seven magnificent cities of the 
 world. Its climate is better than that of England. 
 It is bounded on the east by the Netherlands, 
 Switzerland, and Piedmont ; westward and north- 
 ward, by Spain, and the West Sea. It is 650 
 miles long, and 560 broad. France possesses also 
 some dominions in America and Algiers. There 
 is here more liberty tlian in England, but their 
 form of government and political order is nearly 
 the same as that of London, as to parliament, and 
 their council of commons. The present King of 
 France is named Louis Philippe. France contains 
 35,000,000 of population, which is equal to seventy 
 kerrors of Persia. The standing army which is 
 under order in this kingdom, amounts to 600,000 ; 
 they have likewise a very large navy. The French 
 during the reign of Buonaparte possessed the 
 greatest part of the European kingdoms. The 
 generality of the people believe in transmigration. 
 Their language is different from that of other 
 Franks. Corn and fruits arc cheaper than in 
 England, and its produce is more abundant than
 
 THE PERSIAN PRINCES. 167 
 
 that country. Their flag consists of tliree per- 
 pendicular colours, blue, white, and red. The 
 French is the most spoken, and common in Europe. 
 Every kingdom of Europe has a difierent language, 
 but that of the French is the general one. The 
 kings correspond with each other in this language. 
 One of the most interesting regulations of the 
 French government is this; when merchants 
 export any goods from the country, instead of 
 paying duty or tax, they receive from the treasury 
 a grant of ten per cent, on all goods manufactured 
 or produced in the kingdom. This is a wise 
 encouragement to trade ; and merchants, on this 
 account, are led to purchase the merchandise of 
 this country, seeing that they receive one tenth of 
 what they pay from government ; whereas, in 
 other kingdoms they have to pay duty. 
 
 After resting a few hours at Lisle, we left, and 
 entered the Belgian territory, and arrived at a beau- 
 tiful city, called Engliien. Here, in order to change 
 horses, we alighted at an hotel, where about 3000 
 persons crowded to see us. They came in such 
 multitudes, as led us to infer that they had never
 
 168 JOURNAL OF 
 
 before seen any such beings as ourselves. They 
 brought ladders to get up and look at us, while 
 some climbed upon one another to get a sight. In 
 fact, it was to them a new amusement ; and to us, 
 their crowding together caused a curious spectacle. 
 After changing horses, we left, and travelled by 
 habitations, and through the shade of beautiful 
 trees and gardens, until after ha%'ing made a 
 distance of sixty miles, we arrived at another city, 
 where we alighted at a lofty hotel. 
 
 Thursday the 28th, we departed, and travelled 
 twenty-five miles through habitations and gardens, 
 and arrived at Brussels the capital of Belgium. 
 What a wonderful, magnificent city! of lofty 
 edifices, the appearance of which displayed its 
 grace and riches. Here on account of some 
 accident befalling our carriage, and for the sake 
 of seeing this city we alighted at a large hotel, to 
 spend the day and night. 
 
 Soon after our arrival, TajTnoor Meerza went 
 out to visit what might be seen. He came to a 
 place where there was a very large church, built 
 800 years ago. Tliis day being the commemora-
 
 THE PERSIAN PRINCES. 169 
 
 tion of a feast with the Christians, all the Arme- 
 nians* of different parts, beautifully dressed, 
 crowded to this church, and engaged in offering 
 up their prayers. The sound of the bells of this 
 church reached to some miles distant. It is be- 
 yond the power of writing to describe the con- 
 struction of this church. It contains a figure of 
 one of the former kings, studded \vdth precious 
 stones, and with a crown of jewels. This king 
 was buried here 400 years ago. Having been a 
 generous person, he is visited by them as a saint, 
 to receive his blessings. They have also in this 
 church a statue of Christ, (peace be to him !) made 
 of solid pure gold, together with another of silver 
 of the Virgin Mary, &c. These weak-minded peo- 
 ple have a picture of the Lord the Omnipotent, 
 having a long beard, with a rose in his hand, and 
 looking at Jesus. This picture is so beautifully 
 drawn that nothing can exceed it. They adore 
 
 * The Armenians are considered by the Persians to be the nobles of 
 the Christians. I believe that they enjoy this name nominally, (see 
 H. Martyn's residence in Shiraz) because they are under Mohammedau 
 Government; they would not be called so, if they were independent. 
 Armenians and Nestorians are the only Christian sects in Persia. 
 
 VOL. II. Q
 
 170 JOURNAL OF 
 
 these three images as their Gods.* In another 
 part of the church, there is a picture of Paradise, 
 and Gabriel with sword in his hand driving out 
 Adam and Eve. They are represented as running 
 away from the face of the angel who pursued 
 them. In truth, it was most wonderfully exe- 
 cuted. 
 
 Outside of this church there is a very large 
 fine square, where 4000 men, natives of this place, 
 were buried in one day, having been killed in 
 battle. The fact was as follows : a few years ago, 
 there arose a misunderstanding between the peo- 
 ple. The two parties rushed upon the royal 
 arsenal, half of which fell into the hands of one 
 party, and the remainder was possessed by the 
 other. A battle immediately took place between 
 
 * Mohammedans cannot but be disgusted at Popery, for surely it is a 
 disgrace to the Christian name. Would God that other sights had been 
 presented to these Princes, so that they might have known the difference 
 between true and nominal Christians. It was exceedingly painful to 
 me, when the Prince Wali began to argue with me on these sights, at the 
 very time when I was reading and explaining to him the beauty of Christi- 
 anity, as he and his brothers permitted me to speak freely, and thus I 
 had the honour of speaking to them the name of the Prince of Glory, 
 the Lord Jesus Christ.
 
 THE PERSIAN PRINCES. 171 
 
 them, and upon the first assault these 4000 men 
 were killed. After tliis, four pieces of cannon 
 fell from their carriages, the war was terminated, 
 and the two parties made peace. TajTnoor 
 Meerza made a careful examination of this place. 
 Two hours before sunset, Sir Hamilton Seymour, 
 the English ambassador at this capital, called upon 
 us, and manifested his exceeding friendship and 
 politeness. 
 
 In the evening we visited the place of pleasure, 
 which is the opera. It is of the same construc- 
 tion as that of London, where plays, music, dan- 
 cing, &c. were performed. 
 
 Friday the 29th, we remained at this place 
 until noon, as our carriage could not be made 
 ready sooner, and after lunch we departed. 
 
 Belgium was under the King of Holland until 
 a few years back. It is bounded on the east by 
 Hanover and the river Rhine, on the north and 
 west by the North Sea, and southward by France. 
 A few years ago the people of Belgium strove for 
 liberty, and revolted against the King of Holland. 
 The Frince of Orange, who is the son of the 
 King of Holland, and whom we met in England,
 
 172 JOURNAL OF 
 
 liacl marched against them with his army, in order 
 to suppress them, hut he was unhappily obliged 
 to retreat. A second time he marched, with a 
 strong, numerous, and disciplined army. The 
 Belgians, now feeling themselves incapable of 
 withstanding the force of the royal Prince, sup- 
 plicated France for protection ; and in the mean- 
 while surrendered to the Prince. France, taking 
 side with the cause of liberty, directed a reno\med 
 general, with 40,000 soldiers and artilleiy, to 
 drive out the Prince of Orange from Bclgimn, 
 and to render the people and the country inde- 
 pendent. When the General arrived with the 
 army, the Prince of Orange, not being capable of 
 coping in w;u' with France, left the country, and 
 returned to his kingdom. Thus Belgium became 
 independent, and invited a prince of Germany to 
 become tlie King. When this was done, the 
 King was crowned, and ackjiowledged by the 
 dilfcrcnt powers of Europe as independent. This, 
 their first king, is named Leopold, and on liis coins 
 is stamped this motto, " Union forms liberty and 
 salvation." In sliort, tlie people of this country 
 at present are enjoying all the pleasures of liberty
 
 THE PERSIAN PRINCES. 173 
 
 and tranquillity. The whole population is 2,000,000. 
 Corn and fruit are more plentiful here than in 
 England or France. 
 
 The city of Brussels, on account of its beauty 
 and architecture, is called " little Paris." One of 
 the celebrated edifices of the world is the palace 
 of the Prince of Orange, in this city. Before 
 leaving this place, we visited tliis superb and 
 majestic palace. In truth, we were exceedingly 
 amazed at the display and the taste therein exhi- 
 bited. 
 
 When this country was in the possession of the 
 King of Holland, he gave its government to his 
 son, the Prince of Orange, who is married to the 
 daughter of the Emperor of Russia. The Prince, 
 on account of the beautiful situation of this city, 
 the pure air, and excellent water, built this palace 
 here. It is surrounded with most delightful large 
 gardens of all kinds of trees and flowers. The 
 building cost one million of francs, which is 
 equal to four kerrors of our money. The mag- 
 nificence of the precious articles which we observed 
 in this palace are entirely beyond description. All 
 round the outside of the palace there is a balustrade 
 Q 2
 
 174 
 
 JOURNAL OF 
 
 of gilt iron bars three pikes long, and all its walls 
 are built of beautiful marble, and are 100 feet 
 high. The fiu^niture is of mosaic work, made of 
 sandal wood and mahogany. There were also 
 velvet shoes on purpose for entering the palace, 
 so that whosever came thither on a visit found at 
 the entrance a pair ready for him. No idea can 
 be formed of the valuable and sumptuous furniture 
 of this palace. There are twelve large candlesticks 
 of solid gold, with twelve branching liglits, each 
 of which cost 1000 tomans. The walls, are 
 constructed of marble of different colours, and 
 between each stone is a line of gold. The interior 
 walls are all covered with rich velvet, each room 
 with a different colour. The chairs about the 
 different parts of the palace are of gold and silver. 
 The statues, portraits, likenesses, and figures which 
 are to be seen here are unequalled, and take away 
 the senses. One picture of a young lady cost the 
 royal prince twelve thousand tomans. We ob- 
 served in one of the rooms a splendid specimen of 
 a valuable stone, standing on a mineral pillar, 
 the whole highly wrought like glass, which was 
 sent by Alexander, Emperor of Russia, to the
 
 THE PERSIAN PRINCES. 175 
 
 Princess of Orange. In truth, it is a beautiful and 
 rare present. We saw also another vase of a 
 mineral substance, of a beautiful emerald colour: 
 this specimen was purchased by the prince for 
 100,000 tomans, and many other such splendid 
 articles attracted our admiration, of which we can 
 give no sort of description. One of them cost 
 200,000 tomans. Besides all this, there are numer- 
 ous and most superb and unrivalled pillars. In fact, 
 such a splendid edifice for the residence of man does 
 not exist in any other place under the sun. How- 
 ever, when this palace was finished, the people 
 here, as before mentioned, desired their liberty, 
 revolted against the Prince, and by the assistance 
 of the French, obtained their independence, and 
 the Prince was driven out of the country without 
 enjoying the pleasure of his heavenly palace, and 
 with a hundred thousand feelings of remorse re- 
 linquished it, and returned to the kingdom of his 
 father. But as this palace was built by the private 
 money of the Prince, the present King of Belgium 
 cannot obtain a residence in it, it being the pri- 
 vate property of the Prince of Orange. He there- 
 fore asked the Prince to sell it, but he would not
 
 176 JOURNAL OF 
 
 consent on any account, for even, said he, " should 
 it go into decay, I will not sell one stone of it." 
 It cost him altogether sixteen kerroors of Persian 
 money, and he now, as usual, keeps some of his 
 servants there, to wait upon and take care of it. 
 Many people come from nigh and far countries to 
 visit this palace, and indeed all feel sorry that the 
 Prince is not enjoying a residence in it. At pre- 
 sent it looks as new, and in as perfect order as ever. 
 In fine, after we had made careful examination of 
 it, we left Brussels. 
 
 As soon as we left tliis place, we entered a forest 
 seven mih^s square, covered with fine large trees 
 which afford masts for ships. It is a beautiful 
 and pleasant place throughout the seven miles, 
 the sun is hid from you by the beautiful shade of 
 those innumerable trees. God only knows their 
 number and value. 
 
 After we passed this forest we came to a place 
 called Orey. This is a fine city of Belgium, 
 and the natives are very handsome. Here we 
 observed a very large edifice, wliich was built by 
 the natives as a memorial of their honour. We 
 had now travelled thirty-two miles, and about
 
 THE PERSIAN PRINCES. 177 
 
 sunset arrived at a city called Tirlemont. We did 
 not make more progress, because we did not start 
 until noon. 
 
 Saturday the 1st of Giamad the second, we left 
 this place, and continued our journey, passing by ha- 
 bitations and gardens, until we arrived at a place 
 called St.Trond. Here we observed an extraordinary 
 concourse of people, changed horses, and travelled 
 until noon, when we arrived at a large city called 
 Liege. This is the last place belonging to Bel- 
 gium in this direction. It is a very pleasant town, 
 the men of which must be drunk with the plea- 
 sure of the countenances of the captivators of 
 hearts.* In this place a noble river runs through 
 the place, which is navigable for vessels, a number 
 of which were sailing on it. The city is long. 
 Here we alighted at an hotel, where about 20,000 
 souls crowded together to gaze at us. They were 
 astonished at our appearance and costumes ; it 
 was to them quite a wonderful sight. We now 
 rested a httle, changed horses, and left. About 
 sunset we came to the borders of Prussia. The 
 
 * Ladies.
 
 178 
 
 JOURNAL OF 
 
 officers who guard tlie frontier here, after seeing 
 our passports, permitted us to pass ; and at three 
 o'clock at night we arrived at Aix-la-Chapelle, a 
 city of Prussia. Tliis day we travelled fifty-five 
 miles. 
 
 Aix-la-Chapelle is one of the celebrated cities of 
 Prussia : on account of its crowded population and 
 numerous visitors, we applied this night, at differ- 
 ent hotels, in vain for a lodging ; however, at last, 
 in some way or other, we succeeded. 
 
 On Sunday morning, the 2nd, we departed ; after 
 travelling a few miles, we passed through a very 
 well fortified city of Prussia, Juliers ; around which 
 there is a good ditch, through which runs a river 
 sun'ounding the town. 
 
 We afterwards arrived at another fine city, 
 called Cologne ; here we found new customs and 
 costumes, and alighted at an hotel to breakfast. 
 Their way of eating here is difierent. The master 
 of the hotel, at a certain hour, has a table prepared 
 with all kinds of dressed and undressed victuals. 
 More than five hundred souls fi:om this city, 
 nobles, merchants, travellers, and foreigners, at 
 the fixed hour, come to the hotel, sit down at the
 
 THE PERSIAN PRINCES. 179 
 
 table, and take their dinner, which consists of 
 every thing desirable. While they eat, there is 
 music playing, and the whole company remain 
 two hours at dinner, men and women sitting down 
 together, and enjoying the society of each other. 
 After this, every person pays the charge fixed, and 
 goes about his business. In short, we also to-day sat 
 down with them, to take our dinner, and to enjoy 
 the sight of their affable manners in company. 
 This custom prevails all over Prussia and Germany. 
 The same is repeated every day, and yields the 
 hotel keeper a large income. After an hour's time 
 we left this place, and in proceeding a few miles, 
 arrived at a noble and magnificent river, called the 
 Rhine, whose source is between France and Italy ; 
 it runs through Prussia and Holland, and empties 
 itself in the North Sea. Its water is like that of 
 the Tigris of Bagdad in promoting digestion. It is 
 navigable for ships, a great number of which are 
 constantly sailing upon it. The Rhine is 900 
 miles in length, along which there is not a span of 
 uncultivated land that is not shaded with fine 
 lofty palaces and strong castles. The gardens and 
 orchards on both banks are innumerable. Such a
 
 180 JOURNAL OF 
 
 pleasant and delightful place is scarcely to be met 
 with in the world. Its water is the best in 
 Europe. Its air is delicious, and the land about 
 it is perfect emerald. We enjoyed the odour of 
 its roses and flowers all the day, until at sunset 
 we arrived at a city called Bonn, where we 
 alighted at a large lofty hotel. Here we saw a 
 new thing, which is this ; instead of chimneys in 
 their houses, they have in every room an iron 
 stove, to which is attached a pipe, which is carried 
 through the roof, where the smoke goes out. In 
 this pipe there are some holes, like those in an urn. 
 Whenever they wish to heat the place, they make 
 a little fire in the stove, and in five minutes the 
 room will be as hot as you may wish, and however 
 severe the cold may be, by this means they will 
 never feel it. In fact, it becomes like a warm 
 bath, and the beauty of it is that it does not 
 produce any smoke whatever in the room. Here 
 we spent the night, after having travelled this day 
 sixty-two miles. 
 
 Monday, the 3rd, we left this place, journeying 
 along the river Rhine, and passing by beautiful 
 fields, and delightful gardens of lovely flowers and
 
 THE PERSIAN PRINCES. 181 
 
 delicious fruits. To-day we entered between two 
 very high mountains, opposite each other, through 
 which the Rhine flows. These mountains are 
 covered with beautiful trees, and are finely culti- 
 vated. The apples that we saw here on the trees 
 were finer than we had ever tasted before. There 
 were grapes in abundance. The carriage road along 
 the mountain is most wonderfully cut out of the 
 solid rock. In short, in the autumn season, the 
 ground here is as beautiful as that of Radwon.* 
 The fine air, and the beautiful roses of this place, 
 are not to be met with elsewhere. We travelled 
 on, continually passing by habitations and large 
 cities, until we came to the top of a hill, from 
 whence we saw a large city at a distance, on the 
 bank of the Rhine, with a fine large plain, which 
 was covered with troops. Nothing was to be seen 
 but the glittering of swords, the smoke of artillery, 
 the clashing of cavalry, and multitudes of people 
 coming from every direction to see this sea, with 
 its military waves. We asked who these multi- 
 tudes of people were, and of whom this large, 
 disciplined army consisted. They replied, that the 
 
 • The place in Paradise for the heavenly ladies, or houries. 
 VOL. II. R
 
 182 JOURNAL OF 
 
 laws and regulations of the Prussian government 
 were, that all the people of this kingdom, from 
 the king's son to the poorest, from the merchant 
 to the meanest peasant, both learned, great and 
 small, that every one as soon as he reached the 
 age of puberty, must enter the army, and be 
 drilled as a regular soldier for three years, &c. 
 At the end of this time, he may go home to his 
 business. In every city and town there are 
 many barracks for soldiers, vdth their military 
 uniforms and arms ready provided for them, and 
 servants to take care of them. Thus, when an 
 enemy attempts or invades tliis kingdom, if the 
 royal sturrup* under pay should not be able to 
 drive out a powerful enemy, all, both great 
 and small, will clothe themselves in their military 
 dress, and go forth as warriors against the enemy. 
 In order that they may not forget their military 
 discipline, and that they may be always ready 
 to engage in battle, three days in a year the popu- 
 lation of each province dress in their military uni- 
 
 * Sturrup of a king, is a Persian, Arabic, and Turkish idiom for a 
 standing army of a king; called sturrup, because the men always stand 
 erect when the king rides.
 
 THE PERSIAN PRINCES. 183 
 
 forms, with their arms, and go out for exercise in 
 a certain place. This day happened to be the 
 appointed time for their drill. The troops of this 
 city of Coblentz, to the number of about 40,000 
 cavalry and infantry, headed by four royal 
 princes of Prussia, were here met together; in 
 fact it was a very fortunate day which brought us 
 this occurrence, for which we were exceedingly 
 happy, as it afforded us an interesting sight. 
 There were about 40,000 cavalry, infantry, and 
 artillery, all in perfect order ; but the cavalry was 
 very superior, with very fine horses. Indeed the 
 Prussian cavalry is celebrated all over Europe. 
 They are armed with a lance, bearing a white flag, 
 a pair of pistols, a sword, and the infantry with a 
 musket and a sword only. We had a very inter- 
 esting view of them, and, moreover, we had an 
 opportunity of seeing people who came to see 
 this from different parts of the kingdom. We 
 afterwards went into the city of Coblentz to take 
 breakfast. We approached to alight at an hotel, 
 but it was so full that we could not be accom- 
 modated in it. A nobleman, however, of this 
 city, on hearing who we were, invited us into his
 
 184 JOURNAL OF 
 
 house ; we accepted his invitation, and alighted at 
 his residence. He offered us all sorts of refresh- 
 ments, in some rooms which were finely fur- 
 nished ; we rested here two hours, and proceeded 
 on our way. Again we travelled along the river 
 Rhine, passing by habitations and through fine 
 cities, until at sunset, after travelling sixty-two 
 miles, we arrived at a small town called St. Goar, 
 where we alighted at an hotel, and passed the rest 
 of the night. 
 
 On Tuesday, the 4th, we departed, and, like 
 the preceding day, passed along the river, gazing 
 at some large strong forts which are situated on 
 the moimtains, on both sides of this river, sea-hke, 
 imtil we came to a city called Mayence, which 
 terminates the Prussian territory. 
 
 Prussia is one of the celebrated kingdoms of 
 Europe. Berlin, its most noble city, is its capital. 
 The climate is better than that of England or 
 France, and li\ang is cheaper than in any other 
 part of Europe. The amber mineral is found 
 here, from whence it is exported to all quarters 
 of the world. Here there are more students in 
 science and literature, and knowledge is more
 
 THE PERSIAN PRINCES. 185 
 
 cultivated than in other countries. Their oculists 
 are celebrated all over the world. Their cavalry 
 is the best in Europe. The name of their present 
 king is Frederick, whose standing army imder pay 
 consists of 120,000; and, as already mentioned, 
 during the time of war, if necessity calls for it, he 
 will have all his people under arms, for troops. 
 He has a council, and ministers to advise him in 
 the government, like other nations of Em'ope, 
 but there is no parliament or popular assembly. 
 The whole population is 12,000,000, which is 
 equal to twenty-four kerroors of Persia. The 
 royal coat of arms is a black eagle holding a 
 sword in one hand, and in another a dagger. 
 
 After this, we entered Mayence. This is a 
 very fine and ancient city, with well constructed 
 buildings. The Rhine, which runs through it, is 
 750 pikes broad, over which they have constructed 
 a wonderful bridge, sufficient for four carriages to 
 traverse abreast. This city, with its dependencies, 
 belongs to the three kings of Austria, Prussia, and 
 the independent prince, the Duke of Darmstadt. 
 The three powers keep separate garrisons here, 
 and also agents, who consult each other concerning 
 R 2
 
 186 JOURNAL OF 
 
 the management and the direction of the political 
 affairs of the place. It is now under the govern- 
 ment of the Prince Duke ; yet on account of its 
 perfect fortifications, should it become the posses- 
 sion of a foreign king, it might very much injure 
 the kingdoms of Prussia and Austria, for which 
 reason, the said two powers send troops here, in 
 order to defend it. After we had entered it, we 
 departed, and travelled the whole day a distance of 
 sixty-two miles, until we arrived at Frankfort. 
 
 This place is the bride of the cities of Europe ; 
 on account of the figures, (ladies) the superiority 
 of their handsome countenances, and symmetrical 
 faces, this city has obtained the first rank in Europe. 
 Its streets and quarters are very clean and large, 
 Hke those of London, with lofty edifices. The 
 river Maine, which flows into the Rhine, runs by 
 this city. The natives here, with those seven other 
 towTis belonging to it, are quite free and independ- 
 ent, and have no king. The whole population of 
 Frankfort is 120,000 souls. 
 
 The kings of Eui-ope acknowledge their inde- 
 pendence ; and, moreover, they take a very great 
 interest in their welfare, and send ambassadors to
 
 THE PERSIAN PRINCES. 187 
 
 reside in it. Their form of government is like a 
 parliament, that is, forty-two of the most learned 
 men of respectability direct the government. 
 These members are composed of three classes, 
 nobles, merchants, and representatives of the pub- 
 lic in general. They meet, and by their consulta- 
 tions, give directions to all their affairs, both 
 civil and political. They appoint a person to 
 reign for one year ; this their law is acknowledged 
 in Europe. We took up our residence here at a 
 noble hotel, and at about three o'clock in the 
 afternoon we went to a very fine bath near the 
 river, which we enjoyed very much, and passed a 
 very pleasant night. 
 
 Wednesday, the 5th. News arrived here that 
 the royal Duke Miguel, brother to the Emperor 
 of Russia, was on his way here on a visit to his 
 sister in HoUand, and other parts of Europe, and 
 that he was expected to-day. While we were 
 preparing to start, Mr. Koch, His Britannic Majes- 
 ty's Consul here, called upon us on the part of his 
 minister, saying that the ambassador had just 
 heard of our arrival, (for we came late,) and begged 
 that we would spend the day here, as the royal
 
 188 JOURNAL OF 
 
 princess, sister to the King of England, wlio is now 
 in this city, would be glad to see us ; that, in the 
 mean time, we might visit the different exhibitions, 
 and in the evening meet Her Royal Highness ; he 
 therefore begged that we would be pleased to have 
 our feet moved into his house this evening.* We 
 therefore postponed our departure until the next 
 day. On inquiring of the consul what there was 
 to be seen in this city, he said, " If you are in- 
 clined to \dsit what exhibitions there are to be 
 seen, allow me to have the honour of offering my 
 services in conducting you." We immediately 
 entered the carriage, and, with the consul, went to 
 agardenofvery delightful and pleasant appearance. 
 In this garden there are some beautifully built 
 edifices, inside of which there are splendid statues 
 of marble, one of which is of a yoimg female riding 
 on a lion. The mind can only be amazed at this 
 most beautiful and unequalled statue ; indeed it is 
 so exquisitely wrought that one might say, it 
 speaks. This statue cost 4000 tomans. 
 
 After we had an exhibition of these figures, we 
 
 * This is the mode of expressioQ when a royal Prince is invited 
 to honour some friend with a visit.
 
 THE PERSIAN PRINCES. 189 
 
 were conducted to another edifice of several stories. 
 In the first story, which consists of many rooms, 
 there were stuffed skins of all kinds of land and 
 sea animals, which have been heard of or mentioned 
 in histories, or that can be imagined, all so cleverly 
 stuffed that it could not be distinguished whether 
 they were alive or not. These are brought from all 
 parts of the world, and placed here under glass. We 
 observed more than a hundred thousand different 
 kinds, and were we to mention every one, it would 
 occupy many volumes. All that we saw in the 
 Zoological Gardens of London, we beheld here ; 
 besides many animals some thousand years old, 
 the skin of which was stuffed with cotton ; the 
 sight alone of which would take the senses away. 
 One of them, the hippopotamus, is in the form 
 of an elephant or rhinoceros, which was found in 
 the Nile during the time of Pharaoh. Its teeth 
 are of ivory, two pikes long. Indeed it was a 
 wonderful object to behold. One of the sea ani- 
 mals that we remarked here was a fish, from the 
 head to the waist exactly resembling a female of 
 the human species, with a breast ; and the lower 
 part resembling a fish. This animal was brought 
 from the north pole, the sea of the New World.
 
 190 JOURNAL OF 
 
 We observed here another animal like a monkey, 
 but having feet several pikes long, which was 
 brought from the islands of the north pole. We 
 also saw here a sea animal which was brought 
 from the extreme parts of the Russian sea near 
 the north pole, several times larger than an 
 elephant, with yellow eyes and ivory teeth of three 
 pikes long. Birds of all species, both large and 
 small, some from Abyssinia, having two heads and 
 one beak, and others with two beaks and one 
 head. Some again with numerous feet, of an 
 extraordinary form ; and others most curious, and 
 innumerable kinds. In fact, it would be too 
 tedious to describe them all. After we had gazed 
 at these birds and animals, we were conducted to 
 another story, where we beheld skeletons and 
 anatomised bodies, presenting such a sight as can- 
 not be described. In another story we observed 
 a number of preserved human bodies, (mummies,) 
 of persons who had lived three or four thousand 
 years ago in Greece and Egypt. These were 
 placed under glass covers, having their bones not 
 at all dislocated, some of them are in sarcophagi 
 in the shape of a human figure. In short, this
 
 THE PERSIAN PRINCES. 191 
 
 day we became quite tired with looking at so many 
 things, and returned to our lodging. Afterwards 
 Mr. Cartwright, the British Ambassador, called, 
 and gave us an invitation to his house, which 
 we accepted. In the evening after sunset we 
 went and met with a noble and adorned assembly, 
 consisting of a party of nobles and foreign ambas- 
 sadors, and ladies of superior beauty, each of 
 whom had a full moon in her face. At the head 
 of the assembly was sitting on a golden chair, the 
 sister of the English Badishah, who is named the 
 Landgravine Hesse Homberg, with four noblemen 
 playing at cards. When I entered the company, 
 the royal princess rose, and received us with great 
 politeness, honour, and friendship. "We also paid 
 this queen all that was respectfully due on our 
 part. After the regvilar compliments were past 
 between us, she continued playing at cards, and 
 we sat on one side. The Russian ambassador 
 came near to us, and, after complimenting us, said, 
 that the brother of the Emperor of Russia, Duke 
 Miguel, was every minute expected, and that he 
 would be very happy to see us. We replied that 
 we shoidd be very happy to see him, if an
 
 192 JOURNAL OF 
 
 opportunity should present itself. After the 
 Russian minister had finished his conversation all 
 the other ambassadors of foreign powers came 
 one after another to compliment us, and to mani- 
 fest their friendship. After we had formed their 
 acquaintance, their ladies came, and each offered 
 us her polite and friendly compliments. After- 
 wards these ladies, with full moon-like faces, made 
 a beautiful circle around us. Ever}' one had a 
 distinct language, they being of different nations. 
 Khoojah Assiiad, our principal interpreter, who is 
 of Hellenic origin, and a well qualified scholar, 
 considering his youth, being well versed in all 
 languages, and weU informed in all European man- 
 ners and customs, translated for us and for the 
 beautiful ladies hke a nightingale. In fact, he 
 called forth the praises of all, for they were aston- 
 ished how he could so fluently speak these dif- 
 ferent languages. We conversed here on many 
 topics, and it was indeed a very pleasant and noble 
 party. The assembly was composed of the French, 
 Prussian, Russian, Austrian, Dutch, Bavarian, 
 Saxon, Sardinian, Swedish, and Italian minis- 
 ters. After spending a part of the night, we pre-
 
 THE PERSIAN PRINCES. 193 
 
 sented ourselves to the king's sister, bade her and 
 all our friends farewell, and returned to our resi- 
 dence. 
 
 Thursday the 6th, Taymoor Meerza felt a little 
 unwell. In the morning the English ambassador 
 came and bade us farewell. At two o'clock in 
 the afternoon we started, and after travelhng a 
 few miles, passed the Frankfort border. Here the 
 officers of the Bavarian confines looked at our 
 passports, and we then entered the territory. 
 
 After travelling twenty-five miles, we arrived 
 at a city called Aschaffenburg, which is a fine 
 town, with a delicious country. Here we alighted 
 at an hotel, and spent the rest of the night. 
 
 Friday the 27th, we left this, travelling all the 
 way over mountains and hills, thickly covered 
 with trees, which cannot be crossed but by the 
 roads which are made on purpose for carriages, 
 (for in this country both the planted and wild 
 trees are innumerable). In short, this day, after 
 travelling fifty miles, we arrived at a large city 
 called^ Wiirtzburg. Through this city runs a 
 noble river, on which there are many vessels sail- 
 ing up and down. There is a very fine bridge of 
 
 VOL. II. s
 
 194 JOURNAL OF 
 
 stones over it, on which there are cut some very 
 fine figures of their priests, to whom this city once 
 belonged. 
 
 Here we alighted at an hotel, and on Saturday 
 the 8th, on account of our carriage having got out 
 of order, our departure was delayed till the after- 
 noon, and as it became late, we postponed our 
 movements till the next day. 
 
 On asking what there was to be seen here, they 
 said, that during the time the priests governed and 
 had possession in Europe, one of them built a pa- 
 lace here for himself, which edifice is not to be 
 equalled by any other in the world, and that the 
 architects of the age cannot form one like it. 
 After learning this account, we entered the car- 
 riage, in order to visit this splendid and strong 
 palace. In truth, it is worthy to be seen, and 
 there is a pleasure in \isiting it. In short, what 
 we had already seen in edifices of Europe, in pic- 
 tures and statues, we here found much finer and 
 more abundant. In one direction of this edifice 
 there is a fine large court, and at the other a large 
 beautiful garden, which had truly the aspect of 
 the garden of Paradise, and of the meadow of
 
 THE PERSIAN PRINCES. 195 
 
 Radwan. The edifice is lJ^,000 feet long, and 
 800 broad. We entered this wonderful palace, 
 the court and pillars of which are of fine mar- 
 ble, with splendidly arrayed statues of human 
 figures of the same material, which appear as if 
 they possessed minds, tongues, and motion. On 
 the ceiling we observed a picture, or map, of the 
 four divisions of the world, so beautifully ch'awn, 
 that they cost several thousand tomans each quar- 
 ter, — Asia, Africa, Europe, and America, with 
 the beings and animals which inhabit them. 
 
 After we had gazed at this entrance, we visited the 
 upper part of the structure, and here the tongue be- 
 comes weak and incapable of recording. The least 
 part of this palace must have cost some thousands 
 of pounds. One of the rooms we observed, whose 
 walls were overlaid with gold, on which were 
 painted all kinds of birds and strange animals, of 
 so many difierent species and colours, that the 
 eye never expected to see so much. 
 
 In another room, we examined a fine wheel 
 of iron, fixed on the floor, with pillars, and 
 props to support it, in the shape of a cross ;
 
 196 
 
 JOURNAL OF 
 
 to each of these props there is fixed an artificial 
 horse, with saddle and bridle, &c., all made of 
 marble, and by touching some of the machines of 
 the wheel, the four horses will walk by them- 
 selves : it was, indeed, a very fine sight. 
 
 In one part of this palace there is a church, 
 which was built 2000 years ago ; such beautiful 
 marble pillars of a serpentine shape as are in this 
 church, do not exist in any other part of the 
 world. There are in it many figures of Jesus, 
 (peace be upon him !) made of gold, silver, and 
 stone of different colours. In short, we cannot 
 mention all that we beheld and enjoyed to-day. 
 We afterwards took a ride, and returned to our 
 lodging. 
 
 There is another edifice in this city, which is a 
 very large fortified castle, situated on the top 
 of a hill, which commands the city. Tliis was 
 built during the times of the bishops, who endea- 
 voured to fortify their dominions against all acci- 
 dents. In fine, we had not time to see more 
 here. 
 
 Sunday morning, the 9th, we started, and travelled 
 until two hours after sunset, a distance of seventy
 
 THE PERSIAN PRINCES. 197 
 
 miles, constantly passing by respectable habita- 
 tions, until we arrived at a city called Nuremberg. 
 This is a very populous city, having fine build- 
 ings ; here we could scarcely find a lodging, all 
 the hotels being fiill, as near this place there is a 
 rail-road, which causes these frequent visits. How- 
 ever, we spent the night here ; and on the follow- 
 ing morning, Monday the 10th, travelled seventy 
 miles, and reached a village, where we spent the 
 night. 
 
 Tuesday the 11th, we continued our journey, 
 and, after travelling fifteen miles, came to a city 
 called Ratisbon, where we breakfasted. Here the 
 Danube, which is as large as the Nile, passes by 
 the town, and divides itself into many streams, 
 which run through this town, which is one of the 
 large cities of the Bavarian dominions. The 
 river, however, at the end of the town re-unites, 
 over which there is a fine bridge. The gardens, 
 on both sides, present a most delightful appear- 
 ance, with excellent air and water. The source 
 of the Danube is near the Rhine. It runs from 
 the high momitains of Switzerland, between France 
 and Italy. This noble river passes through the Ba- 
 s 2
 
 198 JOURNAL OF 
 
 varian, Austrian, and Russian territories, and at last 
 empties itself into the Black Sea. It is 1050 miles 
 long, and its water promotes digestion. This river, 
 below Vieiraa, the capital of Austria, which it skirts, 
 is frequently frozen four months in the year, and in 
 this state many carriages traverse it, laden, as far as 
 the Black Sea. However, after we took our break- 
 fast here we departed, and continued travelling, 
 and by sunset had made forty-two miles. We 
 now arrived at a city called Straubing, where we 
 alighted at an hotel. 
 
 Wednesday the 12th. We left this place, and 
 about noon arrived at a city called Vilshofen, 
 where we alighted at an hotel. As soon as the 
 people of the city heard of our arrival, they 
 crowded about the hotel, both old and young, 
 upwards of 30,000 souls ; some stood in the 
 windows, others at the door, in order to have 
 a sight of the exhibition which we made. At 
 this hotel they put on the table some fine grapes, 
 of which we ate a Kttle. Assaad Alia Khan having 
 taken with him into the carriage some bunches of 
 these grapes as we were in a hurry to start, and 
 he had no time to eat, had put them into a piece 
 
 9
 
 THE PERSIAN PRINCES. 199 
 
 of paper, and placed them within the lining of the 
 upper part of the carriage. Wlien going out of 
 the hotel, and upon entering the carriage, in the 
 presence of the multitudes and crowds of these 
 people, my honourable brother Wali wished to 
 take another cap of his which he had deposited in 
 the lining where Assaad Alia had put his grapes. 
 Brother Wah, not aware of the latter circum- 
 stance, snatched the cap, and accidentally the 
 grapes fell down before the people. The crowds 
 understood the matter as follows : that my brother 
 Wali had treasured up the grapes in his cap, 
 which caused them to raise such a noise and 
 laughter as made us feel exceedingly ashamed. 
 We therefore desired the coachman to drive as 
 fast as he could, in order to get out of town as 
 soon as possible. Thank God, they did not know 
 who we were, and whither we were going. This 
 accident was the cause of our spending the day in 
 laughing. After travelling a few miles, we came 
 to a large river called the Inn, which unites with the 
 Danube. There is a bridge over this river, half 
 of which is in the Bavarian dominions, and the 
 other half belongs to Austria.
 
 200 
 
 JOURNAL OF 
 
 Account of Bavaria, S(C. 
 
 Bavaria is a well-known kingdom of Europe, 
 and is colder than other parts of Frankestan. Its 
 capital is Munich, and the present king is named 
 Louis Charles. Their language and that of Prussia 
 and Austria is one. The coat of arms of the king 
 is a crown supported by two lions. The stand- 
 ing army is 40,000 ; the whole population is 
 5,000,000. On arriving at manhood, every male 
 must become a soldier for six years ; during this 
 period he is exercised and drilled for a few days 
 in each year, and in the intervals goes home 
 to his employment. Tliis is done in order that 
 all the natives may be united and capable of 
 meeting an enemy, and of securing the country 
 from invasion. The poor in this kingdom are 
 more numerous than in any other parts of Europe, 
 although living is cheaper than in other places. 
 When we arrived at the beginning of the Aus- 
 trian dominions, the officers who guarded the con- 
 fines, and had charge of the custom-house at this 
 bridge, asked for our passport ; after examining it, 
 they allowed us to pass.
 
 THE PERSIAN PRINCES. 201 
 
 Account of Passports. 
 
 The regulations concerning passports are as 
 follows : — In all the kingdoms of the Franks, 
 every person, from a royal prince to a beggar, 
 travellers, or merchants, vi^ho may wish to go 
 abroad, or to journey through any other kingdoms 
 beyond their own, must be furnished with a 
 passport. In every capital, there are residing 
 ambassadors, or diplomatic agents, from all the 
 powers. The traveller takes his passport, which is a 
 printed paper, from the ambassador of the country 
 to which he is going. In this passport, there will 
 be the name of the bearer, his profession, whither 
 he is going and whence he is from. Wherever 
 he presents himself, if he has not a passport 
 signed by the ambassador of the nation residing 
 in his country, he will not be admitted into the 
 territory. In every hotel and lodging house, the 
 master of the house will present the traveller with 
 a pen and ink, and a book, where he must sign his 
 name. , All this is done, that in case the traveller 
 should have run away from his country on account 
 of some crime committed, he may, by this means,
 
 202 JOURNAL OP 
 
 be detected. The officers on every border are 
 always watchful, and never neglect this duty of 
 demanding the passports of travellers. It was by 
 this regulation they demanded our passports, and 
 allowed us to pass. To-day we travelled seventy 
 miles, and arrived at a city called Grieskirchen, 
 where we alighted at an hotel, and spent the night. 
 
 Thm-sday, the 12th, we left our lodging, and 
 notwithstanding its being the autumn season, we 
 travelled through a beautiful coiuitry, green as 
 emerald, cultivated with delightful gardens, quite 
 paradisiacal. We passed through respectable towns, 
 and after travelling a distance of sixty-five miles, 
 reached a city called Linz, where we alighted at 
 an hotel. Barberries, and nut bushes, and haw 
 trees, abound in this country ; from the barberries 
 we had some sherbet made here. 
 
 Friday, the 13th, we moved from this place, and 
 about noon arrived at a city called Molk, by 
 which the river Danube passes. On the side of 
 this place there is a hill, on the top of which is a 
 convent, and a church, which was built by the 
 monks 180 years ago ; and as it is a fine edifice, 
 we spent an hour in seeing it. It is a magnificent
 
 THE PERSIAN PRINCES. 203 
 
 edifice, and cost some kerrors of money. It is 
 inhabited by monks, who believe that any person 
 who wishes to please Jesus, (peace be upon him !) 
 and act according to his law, must purify his soul, 
 by abandoning marriage and worldly society ; that 
 he must dress in black, and go to the superior 
 monk of the convent, who will receive and con- 
 secrate him as a member. There are different 
 orders of monks in these convents. There is also 
 an establishment for females, who become nuns, 
 have convents to themselves, and female servants 
 &;c., to attend them. This convent is held by the 
 natives as a holy place ; it has many bequests and 
 legacies, from which the monks draw their living. 
 The monk must spend his whole life in the 
 convent, and be continually engaged in prayers. 
 Male and female monks will not, and can never be 
 married. This is an ancient custom among the 
 Christian sects, but at the present time, some 
 people of Europe are advancing in worldly advan- 
 tages, and do not beheve in things which restrain 
 human, progression ; so that this custom is dimi- 
 nishing a little amongst them. In other parts, 
 however, this order still exists in its ancient
 
 204 JOURNAL OF 
 
 vigour. All this aside, we to-day made a thorough 
 examination of the convent, and in truth it is a 
 fine edifice, affording a fine spectacle. The church 
 of the convent contains such a quantity of gold 
 and silver articles, of images, clerical vestments, 
 &c., as is beyond the power of describing. One 
 of the curiosities which We observed here, was the 
 persons of two of their kings, who died in this 
 religion some hundred years ago. Their bodies, 
 which are nothing but bare skeletons, are yet 
 dressed with such a quantity of jewels, that the 
 bones cannot be seen. They are placed under glass, 
 and covered with rich velvet. These men were 
 buried here, and are now most respectfully visited 
 and bowed to by the natives. One is called St. 
 Kissnat, and the other Banoltiarist ; the convent 
 belongs to the Benedictine order. The monks here 
 are forty in number, each having a separate room. 
 The library is rich, consisting of several thousand 
 volumes. After we saw what was worthy of 
 notice at this convent, we departed, and after 
 making seventy miles, arrived at a small town 
 called Parschling, where we spent the night at an 
 inn.
 
 THE PERSIAN PRINCES. 205 
 
 Wednesday the 14th, we left, and after 
 travelling forty miles, arrived at Vienna, the 
 capital of the Emperor of Austria ; here v^^e 
 alighted at a large hotel. On our arrival at this 
 city, we met with many Osmanli people, (Turks,) 
 which made us feel very happy. After such a 
 long absence, thank God we again see some 
 people of the east. An hour after our arrival, we 
 went to the baths, and had a washing, and in the 
 evening, we visited the opera, where all tunes of 
 music and every sound which can cause pleasure, 
 were played. One thing here was quite new to 
 us, and indeed it was a perfect exhibition of art. 
 A man dressed up as an ape, acted so much in 
 every respect like a monkey, that no one could tell 
 that it was an imitation. This he performed, by 
 entering into a skin of this animal, or one made 
 like it. Many other plays were performed, which 
 were calculated to astonish the mind. 
 
 Sunday the 15th, we remained at Vienna. The 
 British charge d'affaires called to see us, and was 
 our guest this evening to dinner. One of the 
 new dishes which we had on the table was a glass 
 
 VOL. II. T
 
 206 JOURNAL OF 
 
 vase, full of all kinds of fruit ; every person took 
 of whatever kind he pleased, but all were artifi- 
 cially made of ice — so perfect, that nobody could 
 distinguish between them and nature. 
 
 After dinner we went to the house of pleasure, 
 (the opera) hke that of London. Daughters of 
 the race of the houries, with moonlike faces — quite 
 a Paradise of themselves — were present at this 
 assembly, playing and reviving the heart by their 
 dancing movements, putting the sense and the 
 heart into two different conditions, for the first 
 was astonished, while the latter was nourished. 
 In short, to describe all this to the poor mifortu- 
 nate who has not seen it, will be too lengthened 
 a story for my book ; and after all he will be no- 
 thing the better — he must come and miderstand 
 for himself. 
 
 Monday the 16th, we changed our dress, in 
 order to walk about the streets and bazaars, and 
 were, from morning until three o'clock in the 
 afternoon, engaged in gazing at the wonderful 
 and rich articles here displayed, and admiring the 
 fine edifices and strong lofty buildings.
 
 THE PERSIAN PRINCES. 207 
 
 Tuesday the 17th, we went out also through 
 the bazaars, and in the evening we visited the 
 opera, with which the eye is never weary. 
 
 Wednesday the 18th, we went to the armoury 
 of the Emperor of Austria, which has existed in 
 its present state for several thousand years. All 
 kinds of arms are here arranged in such beautiful 
 order, that the mind cannot but be astonished. 
 Every one of the Caesars who succeeded his pre- 
 decessor added some arms and splendour to this 
 place, and all the spoils which the rulers of this 
 kingdom have obtained in their battles and victo- 
 ries from the conquered, and all the arms and 
 standards that have fallen into their hands, are 
 placed in this house in the most beautiful order, 
 and make it quite complete. 
 
 There are here likewise portraits of their nobles 
 and heroes, in their ancient costume, with their 
 armour and their helmets placed round the house. 
 Some of the arms are 5000 years old, when the 
 world was young, and men were like beasts. In- 
 deed, the curious arms that they then had, and 
 which are now to be seen here, show that they 
 were such. How much soever I may be inclined
 
 208 JOURNAL OF 
 
 to describe these different kinds of arms, I am un- 
 able to do so, for there are many thousand kinds 
 and forms. Whatever may be imagined, or has 
 been mentioned in history, is to be seen here in 
 its original state. In truth, what there is here to 
 be seen is most curious and wonderful. 
 
 At this place we met Captain M'Wamolt, who 
 had just arrived from Hindostan, through Persia, 
 and speaks the Persian language. We formed 
 his acquaintance, and brought him with us to our 
 lodging, and from him we learnt the present state 
 of Iran, &c. Mr. Eraser, the charge d'affaires 
 of the English ambassador at this Court, called to 
 see us, and it being about dinner time, we asked 
 him to dine with us, and so conversed together. 
 
 Thursday the 19th, we started from Vienna, 
 and by travelling at full speed, by sunset we 
 arrived at a village of Hungary. Here we rested 
 two hours, took dinner, and departed. We tra- 
 velled all night long, and the next day, Friday, at 
 noon, arrived at Pest, the capital of Himgary, 
 and here we alighted at an hotel. During this 
 night and day we travelled 170 miles.
 
 THE PERSIAN PRINCES. 209 
 
 Account of Hungary. 
 
 Hungary was formerly an independent king- 
 dom of Europe, ruled by its own sovereigns, and 
 was numbered among the principal European 
 powers. But not long ago it came under the 
 dominion of the Emperor of Austria, who directs 
 all the necessary concerns relating to this country. 
 The Emperor's agreement with the Hungarians is 
 this, that instead of paying taxes and duties, they 
 shall form a part of his army. The Hungarian 
 soldiers are very active and courageous. 
 
 The people of Hungary are of Persian origin, 
 and anciently settled in this country ; even at pre- 
 sent their dialect has a great similarity with the 
 ancient Persian. Although all the people of 
 Germany claim the same descent, yet the Hunga- 
 rians are, without doubt, of that origin ; however, 
 God alone knows the reality. 
 
 Pest is a lovely and delightful city ; the river 
 
 Danube runs through it, over wliich there is a 
 
 very ffne bridge. The climate of tliis place is 
 
 warmer than other parts of Europe, and much 
 
 T 2
 
 210 JOURNAL OF 
 
 like that of Persia. Its population consists of 
 120,000 souls. 
 
 We spent a day and a night in this city, and on 
 Saturday the 2 1st, we again set off. 
 
 Here a thirsty land, without water or green, 
 presented itself before us. Our carriage every 
 now and then sunk in the sand, and we were 
 obliged to get out, in order to extricate it. 
 This continued so all the day long, together with 
 a thousand troubles, and myriads of bitter acci- 
 dents, till three hours after sunset, when we ar- 
 rived at a village, where we alighted at a place, 
 and obtained a poor dinner. Tliis day we travelled 
 fifty miles. 
 
 On Sunday tlie 22nd, we left, and met v^ith a 
 worse road than that of the day before, entirely of 
 sand. Wc were constantly rising and falling in 
 this desert, being obliged to walk almost all the 
 time, till we became quite powerless ; the horses 
 of our carriage were also every now and then 
 down in the sand. At noon we arrived at a vil- 
 lage, where we changed horses. Here we got 
 a little rest under the shade of its trees, for we 
 had undergone a great deal.
 
 THE PERSIAN PRINCES. 211 
 
 At the time of starting Assaad Alia Khan was 
 asleep under a tree, and we set off without 
 once thinking of him ; until, after proceeding 
 a few miles, it was known that he had been left 
 behind in that desert, where there was no water. 
 Unfortunate Assaad Alia Khan, after walking fast 
 for about two hours, at length reached us, just 
 ready to perish. 
 
 We travelled on foot the whole of the day in 
 this desert, and by four hours after sunset arrived at 
 a ruined village. We were almost dead from the 
 sufferings we had endured this day, both from walk- 
 ing and hunger, and our eyes had well nigh lost 
 their sight. Besides, we had to wait for our dinner 
 till nearly daybreak, when they presented us with 
 some old beef, which, after all, was not half 
 cooked ; however, we ate it. This day we tra- 
 velled forty miles. 
 
 Monday the 23rd. Mr. Fraser's lady was indisposed 
 on account of having eaten the uncooked meat, so 
 we stopped at this village for her until noon. In 
 the afternoon we started: and, after travelling ten 
 miles, arrived at a city of Hungary called Szegedin. 
 Here we spent the remainder of the day and the
 
 212 JOURNAL OF 
 
 night, being quite fatigued with the hardships of 
 the preceding day. A large river runs through 
 this, over which there is built a wooden bathing- 
 house, where we had a bath. 
 
 Tuesday the 2ith. Before noon we departed; and, 
 after travelling a few niiles, arrived at a large river 
 called the Teiss, which we crossed in a large boat- 
 We continued our travelling tiU tlu-ee hours after 
 sunset; we had made fifty miles, and arrived 
 at a to^^'n called Komlos, where we alighted at 
 an inn, and spent the night. At this inn we saw 
 a ver}- large dog, as large as a bullock: such an 
 animal we had never seen before. Multitudes of 
 people come from great distances to see tliis creature. 
 
 Wednesday the 25th. We left this place ; and 
 about noon we arrived at a town called Temeswar, 
 which is very strongly fortified with a wall and 
 castle. Here we observed many people belonging 
 to Turkey. After dinner we departed, and con- 
 tinued travelling for sixty-five miles ; when, at 
 about three hours after sunset, we arrived at a 
 village called Rimagoros. Here we alighted at an 
 inn, and spent the remainder of the night. 
 
 Thursday the 26th. We set ofi"; and, after
 
 THE PERSIAN PRINCES. 213 
 
 making a distance of forty -five miles, arrived at a 
 village called Vimzink, which is situated by a 
 mountain. 
 
 Friday the 27th. "We departed. A mountain- 
 ous tract was now before us, but the road was very 
 skilfully cut out in the mountains ; well adapted for 
 the easy passage of carriages. An hour after noon 
 we quitted the Hungarian territory, and entered 
 that of Transylvania. What we saw of Hungary was 
 not in that fine order in which we found other parts 
 of Europe, nor are the people here to be reckoned of 
 the same class as other Franks. The grain, how- 
 ever, is plentiful, and their cattle are very fine. 
 To-day, after travelling fifty miles, we arrived at 
 the village of Kerzo, where we spent the night. 
 
 Saturday the 28th, we started. This day 
 our way lay through mountains and hills ; and, 
 after making fifty-five miles, we arrived at a city 
 called Hermanstadt, the capital of Transylvania, 
 which is also a part of the Austrian empire. 
 
 Sunday the 29th. We spent the day at this 
 place. We had desired to go to Bucharest, by the 
 route of Cronstadt ; but, being informed that the 
 plague was in our way, and that it was raging at
 
 214 JOURNAL OF 
 
 Constantinople, we changed our plan by going 
 direct to Bucharest, notwithstanding its mountain- 
 ous road. 
 
 Monday, the 1st of Rajab. We set off; and 
 after travelling a few miles, arrived at the begin- 
 ning of the mountains, which were very rugged ; 
 yet, notwithstanding, there are roads cut out of 
 the rock for carriages to pass. To the one side of 
 the valley, there is a deep ravine, through which 
 a river runs. The eagle could not soar as high as 
 some parts of this mountain, nor could the black 
 eagle see the top of them ; however, we passed the 
 most difficult part of the roads, and a little before 
 noon, came to a pass between two high mountains 
 which the river crosses. Here the Austrian terri- 
 tory terminates, and that of Walachia begins. At 
 this place there are some buildings for the officers 
 who guard, and direct the quarantine. Every 
 person who comes from the East must perform 
 ten days' (juarantine, the order and regulation of 
 which have been already mentioned in the account 
 of Maha.
 
 THE PERSIAN PRINCES. 215 
 
 Account of Austria, S(C. 
 
 The kingdom of Austria, which is known by the 
 name of Namsseh, is one of the great and re- 
 spected parts of Europe. The climate is very 
 cold. It is bounded eastward by Moldavia and 
 Walachia, two kingdoms which are known by the 
 Arabs of Boghdan and Falack; westward, by 
 Piedmont, Switzerland, and Bavaria. Its northern 
 boundary extends to Poland and Bavaria, and it is 
 bounded on the south by the Ottoman territories, 
 the Venetian sea, and Italy. The river Danube, 
 which is the largest in Europe, passes through 
 the greatest part of this empire. The coat of 
 arms of this emperor is two eagles, between which 
 is a crown ; each of these eagles has also a crown 
 on his head, and in the claw of one is a sword, and 
 in that of the other a ball, which indicates the 
 terrestrial globe. The three crowns denote that 
 the emperor possesses three large kingdoms, \nz., 
 Austria, Bohemia, and Hungary. The whole 
 population amounts to 33,000,000, and the stand- 
 ing army under orders is 300,000, consisting of 
 cavalry, infantry, and artillery, &:c. The annual
 
 216 JOURNAL OF 
 
 revenue of the royal treasury is eight kerrors. 
 The name of the present badishah is Ferdinand. 
 The capital of this kingdom is Vienna, which is 
 in Austria, and is one of the seven celebrated 
 cities of the world. The population of Vienna is 
 370,000 souls. They have not in this kingdom a 
 Parliament of Commons, as in other parts of 
 Europe ; the direction and management of the 
 pubUc affairs is in the hands of vizirs, especially 
 the prime minister, who is a very clever man, and 
 celebrated all over the world. He is about ninety 
 years old, and the people of this empire have great 
 confidence in him. The Badishah of Austria 
 is despotic, and may do whatever he thinks proper 
 in the affairs of government. Formerly frequent 
 wars took place between the Ottoman Sultans and 
 the Austrian Caesars ; sometimes the Austrian em- 
 pire was taken by the Ottomans, and held in their 
 possession, until other kings of Europe assisted 
 Austria and retook the kingdom. 
 
 On account of the frequency of war between 
 these two kingdoms, the Austrians, for the better 
 security of their money, goods, and families, con- 
 structed a very strong wall, fifty pikes wide, round
 
 THE PERSIAN PRINCES. 217 
 
 the city of Vienna, and completely fortified it in 
 all directions. For this cause also their houses 
 are very strongly built, and the streets narrow. 
 Without the walls there are gardens, and other 
 buildings. Napoleon, who is kno^^^l by the name 
 of Buonaparte, after several battles, took posses- 
 sion of this capital, and married the daughter of 
 its king, who bears the title of emperor. Any 
 foreign European, in the Frank costume, who may 
 visit the city of Vienna, can only remain twenty- 
 four hours ; if he wishes to remain longer, he 
 must give a respectable guarantee for his conduct 
 during his stay, otherwise he will be sent away. 
 This regulation appHes to European foreigners, for 
 there is nothing of the kind in regard to other 
 strangers. Besides this, there are many other 
 regulations in this kingdom ; but, in order to 
 shorten the accomit, let what has already men- 
 tioned be sufiicient. Well, when we arrived at 
 the place of the entrance into the Walachian ter- 
 ritory, Alexander, the Prince of Walacha, having 
 learned of our coming to his country, sent one of 
 his officers to meet us, with a few horsemen and 
 footmen, and with several horses to draw our car- 
 
 VOL. II. u
 
 218 JOURNAL OF 
 
 riage, in order to facilitate our travelling in these 
 mountains. They applied twenty horses and bul- 
 locks to our carriage, and footmen laid hold of 
 strong cords tied on both sides to keep it steady. 
 In this difficult manner we continued our travelling, 
 till at noon we arrived at the house of an officer 
 named Yogha Bey, who is about 100 years old, 
 and speaks Turkish. He was very condescending 
 and friendly, and offered us some refreshments. 
 .'Vfter resting about an hour, we mounted. 
 
 We continued travelling in the same manner 
 through these difficult roads, over mountains 
 adorned with cheerful green flowers, with pure 
 fountains of digestive water, which imparts an 
 excellent appetite for eating. This day we took 
 meals four times, for the mountains were delight- 
 ful, and we alighted at almost every fountain, to 
 enjoy the water. About sunset, we arrived at a 
 village, where we spent the night. On account of 
 the roads, we were not able to make more than 
 thirty-five miles during the whole day. 
 
 Monday the 2nd, we staited. A worse road 
 presented itself than the day before, and the 
 people conducted us with great difficulty. At
 
 THE PERSIAN PRINCES. 219 
 
 noon we arrived at a village where a brother of a 
 governor met us, and invited us into his house, 
 where we took dinner, and soon after departed. 
 After proceeding a few miles, we met Mr. Lloyd, 
 an assistant of the EngHsh Consul at Bucharest, 
 who was sent to meet us, with some janissaries. 
 We continued travelling, till we arrived at a 
 large and strong monastery, dedicated to Mary. 
 Here other officers and men sent by the Prince of 
 Walachia met us, and brought us fresh horses. 
 After sunset we reached a town, where we alighted 
 at the house of the governor, took dinner and tea, 
 and soon after departed. We continued travelling 
 all the night long, and on the morning of the 
 following day, (Wednesday the 3rd,) came to a 
 fine plain, without making any stay. At about 
 noon we discovered at a distance the city of 
 Bucharest. 
 
 When we approached the city, a company of 
 cavalry, and officers of rank came out to meet us, 
 on the part of the Prince of Walachia. They 
 brought us a very condescending, polite, and 
 friendly letter, inquiring after our health. The 
 escort, with their flag, conducted us with all
 
 220 JOURNAL OP 
 
 honourable respect, until we entered the city, and 
 alighted at the house of entertainment, which was 
 already prepared for us. Here some soldiers were 
 placed to guard the doors, as sentries. Mr. 
 Colquhoun, the English Consul, was waiting for us 
 at the door of the house, and after the usual 
 compliments, we entered the sitting-room. The 
 house was fine and large, and attendants were 
 provided to wait upon us. In tlu" preceding two 
 days and a night, wc had travelled 130 miles, 
 through mountains and rocky places. It is said 
 that these mountains were formerly impassable, 
 and not at all capable of being traversed by 
 carriages ; but that six years ago, when Russia 
 brought her army against Constantinople, and took 
 possession of many parts of the Ottoman empire, 
 the Russian troops having to pass by Walachia, 
 which they also possessed, levelled these mountains 
 for carriages, in which work they spent many 
 kerrors of money. The roads are covered with 
 beams and planks, nailed together with large nails; 
 in fact, the workmanship is very astonishing. 
 
 At about three o'clock in the afternoon of the 
 same day, we went to the baths. Seven months
 
 THE PERSIAN PRINCES. 122 
 
 had elapsed since we had entered a bath, which we 
 now enjoyed very much. In the evening we went 
 to the entertainment of the Consul, at his house ; 
 where we were received by Mrs. Voshie, a very 
 friendly and modest lady, a sister to the Consul. 
 The table was furnished with all kinds of delicious 
 dishes. Here we spent a part of the night, 
 conversing on different topics, and inquired about 
 the road to Constantinople. They informed us, 
 that there were two ways to that city ; one ol 
 twelve days' journey, by land, by Adrian ople ; but 
 that all this road was infested with the plague ; 
 the other was by Galatz, by steam, down the 
 Danube, and through the Black Sea, which might 
 be accomplished in five days. They informed us, 
 moreover, that the plague was raging in Constan- 
 tinople, and daily carrpng off many people. We 
 now became quite perplexed as to what we were 
 to do, and returned to our residence full of 
 thoughts on this subject. 
 
 Thursday the 4th, we wrote an answer to the 
 
 letter of Prince Alexander of Walachia, which we 
 
 sent by Khoojah Assaad, who was received by the 
 
 prince with great hospitality, politeness, and civi- 
 
 v2
 
 222 JOURNAL OF 
 
 lity. To-day we received farther accounts of the 
 plague being at Constantinople, and decided to 
 remain at this place, and to v^-rite to LordPonsonby, 
 H.B.M.'s Ambassador Extraordinary at Constan- 
 tinople, requesting his advice as to our movements. 
 We vrrote to liim, and detennined to remain at 
 Bucharest fourteen days, until we could receive 
 an ansNver. In the evening we went to tlu- 
 Consul's, where we met a company of English 
 ladies, and spent some part of the night con- 
 versing in different languages. 
 
 Friday the 5th, news arrived from Constan- 
 tinople that the plague was very >'iolently in- 
 creasing, and that KXX) persons were dying daily. 
 To-day also Prince Alexander sent one of his 
 generals to inquire after our healUi, and to tes- 
 tify his friendship. In the evening we were in- 
 nted by Mr. Anderson, an English gentleman, to 
 an evening party. Mrs. A. is a lady of un- 
 equalled beauty, and the whole assembly was 
 very pleasant. Music makes every person forget 
 his home, and the shadow of the beauty of the 
 possessors of hearts, and the brilliancy of wine in 
 the glass, good health, and the sweet conversation
 
 THE PERSIAN PRINCES. 22S 
 
 of ladies, will deprive every wise man of his mind. 
 Wliat an assemblage of pleasure it was ! — and 
 what a heavenly party we met ! We spent two 
 hours at this cheerful lovely place in conversing 
 with those who received the heart, and admiring 
 the beautiful faces which shone like the full 
 moon. 
 
 Saturday the 6th. On account of the friendship 
 which Prince Alexander had manifested towards 
 us, the Consul proposed that we should pay a visit 
 to his Highness, so word was sent to that effect. 
 Wlien the prince was informed of it, he sent his 
 gilt carriage of state, with some of his principal 
 officers and royal guard to escort us. We entered 
 the carriage, and the Consul entered in another, 
 and we set off for the palace. The noble Prince 
 received us most condescendingly, friendly, and 
 politely. His divan was attended by noble per- 
 sonages, and liis principal officers of state. The 
 usual compliments being passed, we conversed to- 
 gether on different topics. After sweetmeats and 
 coffee were presented to us, he introduced to us 
 all his nobles and the generals of his government. 
 Every one of them pronounced the appropriate
 
 224 JOURNAL OF 
 
 compliments, which we returned. When we rose 
 to leave, the Prince walked a little with us, we 
 then entered the same carriage of state, and re- 
 turned to our residence. In the evening we went 
 again to the entertainment of the Consul, where 
 we met the uncle of the Prince, an old gentleman 
 who spoke Turkish and many other languages ; 
 on tlie whole it was a very pleasant night. 
 
 Sunday the 7tli. Prince Alexander, accom- 
 panied by some of his relations and principal 
 ministers, came in royal state with liis guard to 
 visit us. The necessarj' and usual compliments 
 having passed between us, he spent an hour with 
 us conversing on different subjects and then left. 
 About noon of the same day we mounted with 
 
 Mrs. D , thf Consul's sister, and went to a 
 
 seat in the countr}'. Tliis building is pleasantly 
 situated in a beautiful garden, with pure water 
 and excellent air. The garden is constructed 
 very much after the manner of those of Paradise. 
 In this place there is a fountain of fine water 
 issuing out of a lion's head made of stone, and 
 close by a fine church, which we visited, and also 
 other gardens. About sunset we returned to town.
 
 THE PERSIAN PRINCES. 225 
 
 Monday the 8th. Some of the nobility here 
 called to see us, and in the evening we dined with 
 the Consul. 
 
 Tuesday, and Wednesday the 10th. News 
 reached us from Constantinople that the plague 
 was raging, and that more than a thousand were 
 dying every day. In the evening we went again 
 to the Consul's, where we met the Prince's sister. 
 This lady played music very well, and had a sweet 
 voice. The usual compliments having passed be- 
 tween us, the lady, who was fond of music, herself 
 asked us whether we had a taste for it ? We re- 
 plied, " It will be a happiness, and you will con- 
 fer an obligation on us to allow us to hear it from 
 you ; dear possessor of our lives, this will be our 
 utmost desire." She then rose and played the 
 musical instrument, and in the mean time delighted 
 us with her sweet songs. Here we remained until 
 midnight, and then returned to our residence. 
 
 Thursday the 11th. In the afternoon we went 
 with Mr. Colquhoun, the Consul, some other nobles, 
 and a company of ladies, who possess Hght Kke 
 the moon, to the country seat of the Prince's 
 sister. When we arrived there, we amused our-
 
 226 
 
 JOURNAL OF 
 
 selves with fishing in the lake, and afterwards 
 walked about the gardens with the ladies. At 
 dinner time we conducted them to the table, which 
 was here prepared and well furnished with every 
 thing. After dinner, in the light of the moon, we 
 accompanied the ladies, who resembled the un- 
 veiled sun, and returned back to the city. 
 
 Friday the 12th, Saturday the 13th, and Sun- 
 day the 1 Itli, were spent in the same manner. 
 During the day-time and at night, we either went 
 to the Consul's, or he came to us ; and every now 
 and then we >isited the gardens together. 
 
 Monday the loth, Tuesday the IGth. News 
 came from Constantinople that tbe plague was 
 still increasing, and more than a thousand persons 
 were perishing daily. On hearing this account 
 we were quite perplexed as to what course to pur- 
 sue. Unfortunate people ! after an absence of two 
 years, what arc we now to do with this incurable 
 disease? Sometimes we thought of going to Con- 
 stantinople, but all the dangers of the plague that 
 might befall us, presented themselves to our minds. 
 Almost in the same moment we thought of again 
 risking ourselves in a ship, and of going to some
 
 THE PERSIAN PRINCES. 227 
 
 part in the Mediterranean. At other times the 
 wisdom of the mind was occupied in changing and 
 forming projects, of going by way of Greece to 
 end this embarrassment. In fact, every day we 
 spent sorrowing, and every night in changing 
 thoughts, and could not tell what to do, where to 
 go, or where to stop, in order to avoid the frightful 
 road, and the terrible disease. We however 
 trusted upon the Lord, who gives every thing, 
 and delivers from every difficulty, and stopped at 
 Bucharest waiting for fresh news. 
 
 Wednesday the 17th, Thursday the 18th, Fri- 
 day the 19th, and Saturday the 20th, were spent 
 in going into the country, and \dsiting friends, 
 while we were all the time anxious to hear from 
 Constantinople. 
 
 Sunday the 21st, Monday the 22nd. Letters 
 arrived from Lord Ponsonby to the Consul, saying, 
 that (thank God!) the plague at Constantinople 
 was diminishing very much, and that his Imperial 
 Majesty Sultan Mahmood, after hearing of the 
 arrival of the royal princes, had ordered a palace 
 of his at Yanld koi to be prepared for their re-
 
 228 JOURNAL OF 
 
 ception; that Najaf Bey, a great officer of govern- 
 ment, was appointed to be our hirkamander, and 
 that, by his extremely kind and gracious order, 
 every thing was made ready for our reception. 
 When we heard tliis news we were exceedingly 
 glad and happy, and now waited only the arrival 
 of the steam-vessel at Galatz, by which we had 
 concluded to go. 
 
 Tuesday the 23rd, and Wednesday the 24th, 
 we spent at Bucharest. During these two days 
 the Divine mercy (rain!) did not stop, but con- 
 tinued incessantly falling, wliich caused a very 
 severe cold. 
 
 Thursday the 2;5th. The snow fell plentifully, 
 and it was severely cold ; this will put an end to 
 the plague. During these days we were getting 
 ready for starting. 
 
 Friday the 2Gth, and Saturday the 27th. Wali 
 was seized with an accidental illness. 
 
 Sunday the 28th, was a great feast with the 
 Christian sects. Multitudes of people came from 
 different parts of Wulachia to the capital. Both 
 men and women were beautifully clad in rich
 
 THE PERSIAN PRINCES. 229 
 
 dresses, and entered their churches and places of 
 worship to commemorate this feast. It was alto- 
 gether worth seeing. 
 
 Monday the 29th. I arose up early as usual, 
 and, after offering up morning prayers, ordered 
 a hookah. It now became known that the bowl of 
 the pipe was stolen, for we sought after it in every 
 part of the house, and could not find it. By our 
 house was a sort of ruined place, which was made 
 into a sort of poor garden, where all the dirt was 
 thrown. As Taymoor Meerza was walking about 
 this garden, having with him two dogs, which he had 
 bought at Vienna at a dear price, for doing which 
 we had ridiculed and teazed him ; these two dogs 
 observing their master looking about as though he 
 had lost something, and was seeking after it, 
 began also to search into every place, and to look 
 into every hole, endeavouring to find what was 
 unknown to them. These creatures continued 
 tearing up the ground, and seeking every where, 
 until blood came out of their noses. We endea- 
 voured to make them quiet and desist, but it was 
 all useltJss ; they still went on in the same manner, 
 examining every place around them. At last we 
 
 VOL. II. X
 
 230 JOURNAL OF 
 
 became tired, and sat under a tree. After a few 
 minutes, one of the dogs came to Taymoor Meerza 
 and ran back to the ruin. As we did not take any 
 notice of this, the dog came again, and returned 
 to the ruin a second time, but still we did not 
 notice the dog's anxiety. When the dog came 
 the third time, he took hold of the end of Taymoor's 
 dress ; I then told Taymoor Meerza to go with 
 the dog, and see what he wished to point out. 
 Taymoor Meerza went, and when he entered into 
 the ruin, he saw in the dunghill something pro- 
 ducing a light like jewels. When Taymoor 
 Meerza had examined what it was, he found it 
 arose from a quantity of our goods to the value of 
 2000 tomans, which one of our servants had 
 stolen, and buried in this place. We took them, 
 thanking God for such a favour. The cursed, 
 saltless serv'ant, who did this, was one whom we 
 had kept for many years, and was constantly be- 
 nefited by our favours. Some of the things he 
 had already sold. However, we were rejoiced at 
 this occurrence, and at night sat together reading 
 and conversing upon different things. Brother 
 Wall had been restored to health, but to-night he
 
 THE PERSIAN PRINCES. 231 
 
 felt a little pain in his throat, yet he did not 
 regard it, but remained with us until late, when 
 every one retired to bed. As it is my custom to 
 retire without a hght, always extinguishing it be- 
 fore I go to bed, when I awoke, to my astonish- 
 ment I found a light in my room, and somebody 
 falling at my feet; I thought that it was the 
 worthless, saltless thief of a servant, who had come 
 to throw himself at my feet to beg forgiveness, 
 and as I was excessively angry with him, and 
 wanted to give him a good beating, I arose from 
 my bed in a bad humour, and in perfect vexation 
 gave him a sound licking ; he did not say a word, 
 and appeared as if he were dead ; however, I 
 determined to put him out of the room, and so I 
 lifted him up, but to my astonishment found that 
 it was my brother Wali, who after retiring to bed 
 had been seized with a dreadful quinsy, which 
 came upon him on account of the great heat of his 
 blood. The unfortunate WaH was so bad, that he 
 was not able to pronounce a word, and could hardly 
 take a breath ; he, however, had taken a light and 
 had come to my room, but was so ill that he 
 fainted away, and I taking him to be the lawless
 
 232 JOURNAL OF 
 
 servant, had given him a few beatings on the head. 
 I was now exceedingly agitated at Wali's state, 
 and immediately awakened Taymoor Meerza and 
 Khoojah Assaad, but as a medical person could 
 not be procured at this time of night, Taymoor 
 Meerza gave him some gargle out of his chest ; so 
 that, although we could not restore him, we pre- 
 served him alive. At daybreak we sent and in- 
 formed Mr. Fraser of the accident, and Dr. B , 
 
 who is an old physician, and who was some time 
 in the service of Yooseph Pasha, was brought im- 
 mediately. The doctor said that he had never be- 
 fore seen such a quinsy as that of Wali's, and that 
 unless leeches were applied in half an hour he would 
 die. Several men were instantly despatched after 
 a barber and some leeches, which, thank God! 
 were immediately brought, and the physician him- 
 self applied twenty large leeches to Wali's neck. 
 After a few minutes. Brother WaH opened his 
 eyes, and little by little he began to breathe, after 
 we had given up all hope of his life, and we adored 
 the Most Merciful for liis mercy. The leeches 
 drew out a good quantity of diseased blood, with 
 which Wali was overcharged.
 
 THE PERSIAN PRINCES. 23S 
 
 The doctor ordered that warm handkerchiefs 
 should be hourly applied, and afterwards a 
 poultice ; that the bleeding must continue ; and 
 that Wali should eat nothing but apple, pear, and 
 barley water. Wall's bed-clothes, and every thing 
 about him, were steeped in blood, which, the more 
 it left him, the better he felt. This continued till 
 sunset, by which time about 1500 drachms of 
 blood had been drawn from Wall's neck ; nor did it 
 stay even at night. Indeed it was a wonderful 
 spectacle ! We remained some part of the night 
 with him, and afterwards we placed two servants 
 by him, and we ourselves retired to bed. About 
 the latter part of the night, I heard a loud voice 
 from my brother Wali, and thought that he was 
 calling the servant. Upon hearing him a second 
 time, I went to him, to see what was the matter. 
 I found him in the agony of death ; the signs of 
 which were visible on his face. He was not able 
 to speak. Every thing about him was covered 
 with blood, for he was still bleeding. We, how- 
 ever, succeeded in stopping the bleeding with 
 herma, and in the mean time, poured down his 
 throat some strengthening refreshments. Myself 
 X 2
 
 234 JOURNAL OF 
 
 and Taymoor Meerza now attended him, and gave 
 him some medicine, so that towards morning, 
 thank God, he grew better. 
 
 Wednesday, the 1st of Shaeban, the most 
 noble Wali felt better, and by Sunday, thank God, 
 he was quite recovered. 
 
 Monday the 6th, Mr. Colquhoun, the Consul, 
 who had gone a few days ago to Moldavia, on 
 some duty, returned to-day, and came to our 
 residence, to inform us that the steam vessel would 
 soon be at Galatz, in order that we might be ready 
 for starting. We then compHmented him on his 
 safe return. To-day also a medical man called 
 upon us, sent by Mr. Colquhoun. This doctor 
 told us that he could cure all inveterate diseases, 
 and that he was a student of an old celebrated 
 modem physician, and head of a party of eleven 
 medical men in Germany, who have publicly 
 declared their opinion, and warmly defended their 
 views; for the rest of the medical professors do 
 not agree with this party. He further informed 
 us, that the said old physician is ninety years of 
 age, fifty of which he practised in medicine, and 
 that his principles are founded on experiments.
 
 THE PERSIAN PRINCES. 235 
 
 and that he has written many books on the subject; 
 but the pubKc at large have not yet reposed their 
 confidence in his doctrines. Then this new kind 
 of a doctor took out of his pocket a small box, 
 which opens with a key. In it we found more 
 than a thousand little bottles, containing pills as 
 small as the head of a pin. This doctor said, " What 
 you see in this little box, is what is contained 
 in a large apothecary's shop ; my master has 
 invented this art of taking the substance or 
 essence of medicine. The apothecaries are angry 
 with my master for bringing down the profession 
 to such a small scale." At last he gave us some of 
 his medicines, and said that we might use them in 
 time of need. 
 
 In the evening we went to the Consul's to 
 dinner. Mr. Colquhoun, the Consul, offered to 
 accompany us to Galatz on the following day, 
 which was fixed for our departure. The Prince 
 Alexander Ghica, of this place, sent us an officer 
 of his, Colonel Jacob, to bid us farewell, and to 
 assure us of his true friendship. 
 
 Tuesday the 7th, we were invited to dinner with 
 the Consul, in order to bid liis sister Mr. and Mrs.
 
 236 JOURNAL OF 
 
 and Miss F good bye. Soon after dinner 
 
 we bade our hosts farewell, and started. 
 
 The Prince having sent an escort to accompany 
 us, when we got out of the town we desired them 
 to return. We travelled all that night long, and 
 the following day, in a fine plain, abundantly rich 
 with game, and exceedingly fertile. Thus we 
 continued our travelling during six hours of the 
 night, when we arrived at Braliilov; we have made 
 in the last seven hours, 150 miles. At Brahilov 
 we alighted at the British Consulate. Brahilov 
 is the last town of Walachia, situated by the river 
 Bouzeo. Before the Russian war with Tiu'key, in 
 the year 1225, this city was a very well fortified 
 place, had exceedingly strong walls and castle. 
 The Russians were a long time before they took 
 it, the Turks being within the walls, and having 
 the castle they kept out the Russians, and 
 kept their fire up against them. The Russians at 
 last contrived a ditch, and filled it with powder, 
 and gave it fire, by which, 14,000 men were 
 destroyed on both sides ; but it affected the 
 walls, and thus the Russians entered the place, 
 and took possession of it. The bones of the
 
 THE PERSIAN PRINCES. 237 
 
 perishing soldiers may be seen till this day about 
 the town. At present this place is under the 
 Prince of Walachia. 
 
 Account of Walachia. 
 
 Walachia, known to the Ai'abs by the name of 
 Felakhj is a province of Europe. It is 250 miles 
 long, and 160 wide. It is bounded eastward, by 
 Moldavia, or Boydan ; westward, by Hungary ; 
 northward, by Transylvania ; and southward, by 
 Turkey. Walachia was formerly entirely under 
 the Sultan of Constantinople ; but when the 
 Russians, during their last war with Turkey, took 
 possession of it, and when a peace was concluded 
 between the two powers, this country, as well as 
 Moldavia, was taken from Turkey on paying 
 annually 20,000 purses to the Porte, and that they 
 should be under the Russian protection. At 
 present it is independent, and it follows a Russian 
 policy in its government. The Prince resides in 
 Bucharest, and has a standing army of 4000 men.
 
 238 JOURNAL OF 
 
 Bucharest contains 120,000 inhabitants, and the 
 whole population of the country amounts to 
 2,000,000. And if what we have seen through 
 this country, does not contain edifices so grand as 
 other parts of Europe, yet we believe that through 
 the ingenious management of the present Prince, 
 it will before long become as good as other 
 kingdoms in Europe. The principal trade of this 
 country is fur, which is exported to all parts of the 
 world. 
 
 Thursday the 5th, we left Brahilov, and when we 
 entered the Boydan and Moldavian territoiy, we 
 found some cavalry, sent by the Prince of Moldavia 
 to await our arrival, and to accompany us to 
 Galatz. On the eve of the same day, we arrived 
 at Galatz, where we were met by the Enghsh 
 Consul, and alighted at his house. Soon after our 
 arrival, dinner was served, and while at table, the 
 Governor of the place, with some noblemen of 
 the country, called upon us. The Governor was 
 very polite, ojQTered us his services, and placed a 
 sentry at our residence. 
 
 Friday the 10th. I (here Reeza Koolee Meerza 
 speaks) was suddenly seized with an attack of fever.
 
 THE PERSIAN PRINCES. 239 
 
 Mr. Colquhoun, the Consul at Galatz, brought 
 me a German doctor named Beyg, who happened 
 to be at this place on the occasion. The doctor 
 attended me, and my brothers as well ; other 
 friends came and spent some time at my room, in 
 order to comfort and keep me in company. During 
 the conversation, the subject of the indigestion of 
 the water of London was brought forward. The 
 Consul of Galatz said, " I was many years in 
 London, but I never drank water, so that I cannot 
 judge." This account was indeed not a little 
 surprising. 
 
 Saturday the 11th. I was worse, and the doc- 
 tor gave me some jalap and an emetic, so that 
 I spent the day in a most dreadful state. The 
 Russian Consul called to see us to-day, and Mr. 
 Colquhoun, the Consul at Bucharest, who accom- 
 panied us to this place, bade us farewell, and re- 
 turned to Bucharest. To-night, on account of my 
 incessant vomiting, and the pains of my disease, I 
 had not a minute's sleep. 
 
 Sunday the 12th. The doctor applied some 
 leeches to my stomach, which drew out some dis- 
 eased blood. To-day the Austrian Consul called
 
 240 JOURNAL OF 
 
 upon us, and news arrived that some accident had 
 happened to the steam vessel on her passage here, 
 and that therefore she would not run any more 
 tliis season. 
 
 Sunday night, and Monday 13th. My illness 
 increased, so that the doctor applied more leeches, 
 and in tlie evening he bled me, and let out 150 
 drachms of blood. At night I was exceedingly 
 weak ; during the last few days, while imdergoing 
 the opening and vomiting medicines, I had not 
 taken a drachm of food, which could prove a sup- 
 port to human life, or contribute to produce the 
 physical blood, so that I felt very weak, and was 
 weakening every minute, and continued in this 
 state until Tuesday 14th, when I became so ex- 
 ceedingly debilitated as to be imable to speak or 
 to breathe. This night the doctor took about 
 150 more drachms of blood from me, so that I 
 was brought to the borders of the grave, and was 
 almost dead. I lost both my internal and external 
 feelings, and did not know myself. 
 
 Wednesday the 15th. I was just as bad, with- 
 out the least strength, and the illness was still 
 increasing. 
 
 8
 
 THE PERSIAN PRINCES. 241 
 
 Thursday the 16th. I was as bad as ever, and 
 without any feeKng. In the evening, notwith- 
 standing my weakness, my doctor, Auberg, gave 
 me several sorts of medicine, and applied a blister 
 to my breast, which took off some pieces of flesh 
 and skin, and the same night appKed some more 
 leeches to me. I now suffered a great deal, and 
 was not able to sleep from the effect of the medi- 
 cine all the night, and from suffering a most 
 dreadful pain in the breast. 
 
 Friday the 17th. More leeches were appKed 
 to my breast, and a quantity of blood came out. 
 In the night I was exceedingly restless. 
 
 Saturday the 18th. All the medical men of 
 this place and the neighbourhood were brought to 
 see me, and to consult each other in regard to my 
 illness. They all testified that my medical man 
 was pursuing the right course. 
 
 Sunday the 19th. I was, thank God, a little 
 better, and the fever decreasing. I slept about 
 one hour and a half. 
 
 Monday, and Tuesday the 21st. Praise be to 
 God, I was rapidly advancing to recovery, and I 
 felt an appetite for eating. The doctor ordered 
 
 VOL. II. Y
 
 24^ JOURNAL OF 
 
 that I ought not to take more than a roasted 
 apple during the day, saying that my stomach was 
 so weak that it could not bear any thing else ; I 
 was so pale and weak that I did not feel my 
 clothes on. But myriads of thanks be to the God 
 of the world, and thanks be given to him who be- 
 stowed his mercy upon me, for every minute I 
 felt his mercy stronger. 
 
 Wednesday the 22nd. I was as well as could 
 be expected. 
 
 Thursday the 23rd. The steam vessel arrived 
 here from Constantinople, and brought news that 
 the plague was diminishing, for that while lately 
 4000 persons had been dying daily, now there were 
 not more than 2000; that 200,000 had already died 
 of this disease at Constantinople, and that it had 
 never been so bad as this year, nor was it ever 
 known to last so long and to be so severe. Let 
 us take refuge in God from the wrath of the 
 Almighty ; notwithstanding our hearing such 
 alarming news, together with the view of a dan- 
 gerous journey, yet as our health at Galatz had 
 seriously suffered from no ordinary indisposition, 
 so much so that death was almost certainly ex-
 
 THE PERSIAN PRINCES. 243 
 
 pected from the nuisance of this place, and the 
 filthiness of the neighbourhood, we determined 
 not to remain here any longer, and thought it 
 much better to risk all the dangers to be encoun- 
 tered in going through the Black Sea and the 
 plague, than to remain in this horrible town. 
 
 Friday the 24th. At two o'clock in the after- 
 noon the governor of Galatz sent us his carriage, 
 which we entered, and embarked on board the 
 steam vessel on the Danube. As to Galatz, it is 
 the most dirty town of Moldavia, which country is 
 known to the Arabs by the name of Bagdan. 
 Moldavia is bounded eastward by Russia, westward 
 by Transylvania, northward by Poland, and south- 
 ward by Turkey. It is 200 miles long, and 120 
 broad. Jassy is its capital. This country was a 
 part of the Ottoman dominions, but since the 
 peace, which followed the last war with Russia, 
 it has been placed upon the same footing as Wal- 
 achia, by simply paying a certain sum annually to 
 the Porte. They have an independent prince, 
 under the shadow of the Russian protection. Its 
 population is 500,000 ; Galatz is situated upon the 
 river Danube. It is the most miserable and foul
 
 244 JOURNAL OF 
 
 place in the world ; tlie people here are very dirty, 
 their streets are so filthy and muddy as to be 
 almost impassable ; indeed I was astonished how 
 people could live here and bring up children, for it 
 is in fact the abode of hell. However, tliis day, 
 with the greatest difficulty, we reached the river, 
 and embarked on board the steamer Ferdinando^ 
 commanded by Captain Anderson, who received 
 us respectfully and honourably, and gave us very 
 good accommodation. The captain is an English- 
 man, but the vessel belongs to an association. 
 This company consists of a body of very rich men 
 in Europe, who have formed themselves into a part- 
 nersliip, to nadgate the Danube and Black Sea as 
 far as Constantinople, Greece, and Smyrna. Thus 
 they have raised a large capital, and built several 
 steam vessels, which are now navigating the above 
 mentioned places, except that during three months 
 in the year, when the Danube is frozen, they go to 
 other places. The Emperor Ferdinand, of Aus- 
 tria, is a member of this company, and on this 
 account these vessels bear the Austrian flag. The 
 Ferdinayido certainly is a fine and elegant ship. 
 This night we spent comfortably on board.
 
 THE PERSIAN PRINCES. 245 
 
 We left Galatz on Saturday, the 25th, about 
 noon ; the wind was favourable, and the sun very 
 brilliant and beautiful. In two hours we reached 
 the coast of Bessarabia, which is a part of the 
 Russian dominions. Here we observed many 
 regiments of Russian troops, both cavalry and 
 infantry, companies of which were watching the 
 coast, in order that no one from Turkey should 
 enter this comitry, on account of the plague. All 
 persons from Turkey, who wish to enter here, 
 must perform quarantine. On this bank we ob- 
 served, at the distance of every 1000 feet, amounted 
 sentry, so that no one from Turkey could enter 
 the Russian territory. When our steamer reached 
 one of these sentries, he immediately accompanied 
 us at full gallop, as far as the next, and so on, 
 until we entered the Black Sea. This is done on 
 all the Russian coast, which is on the left hand, the 
 opposite Turkish coast being on the right. In the 
 evening we arrived at a town of Bessarabia, where 
 the Danube divides into two streams ; and here we 
 observed several vessels belonging to the Russian 
 goverinnent ; on the other side was the Turkish 
 province of Tutktcha, which is governed by Mo- 
 
 Y 2
 
 246 JOURNAL OF 
 
 hammed Pasha. At this place, on account of the 
 many windings of the river, and being a dark 
 night, the vessel anchored. Hossei Bey, a very 
 fine, handsome, and respectable young man, the 
 son of the Pasha, and other nobles of their 
 country, paid us a visit on board, offering us 
 their services and friendship. 
 
 On Sunday morning, the 26th, the anchor was 
 weighed, and the steam set. The guards, as on 
 the preceding day, accompanied us, until we 
 reached the end of the river and the beginning of 
 the Black Sea. Here is a town called Kilia, 
 where we saw many Russian ships of war guarding 
 these coasts. To-day we entered this sea, yet, 
 thank God, notwithstanding the vsdnter season and 
 the sea-sickness, we passed tlie day very plea- 
 santly. 
 
 Tuesday the 27th. One hour before noon, we 
 came to anchor before Varna, a sea-port of Turkish 
 Roumelia. The captain and passengers went on 
 shore, and, after remaining three hours, we again 
 started. This city contains 10,000 inhabitants, 
 and the governor is named Najib Pasha. The 
 wind continued favourable until sunset, when the
 
 THE PERSIAN PRINCES. 247 
 
 waves rose up like mountains, and the storm was 
 so violent that we felt as bad as ever, and continued 
 vomiting all the night until the sunrise of the fol- 
 lowing day. 
 
 Tuesday the 28th. We reached the beginning 
 of the straits of the Bosphorus ; on both sides of 
 which there are mountains, with pure air and ex- 
 cellent water, covered dehghtfully with green ; 
 indeed, such a place is rare in the world. 
 
 The strait is not more than a mile broad, and 
 in some places it is less. On both sides there are 
 some fine buildings and beautiful gardens, with 
 fountains which run through the houses and flow 
 into the sea. The mountains are covered with gay 
 trees ; the cypress is very plentiful. These trees 
 are planted round most of the palaces and houses, 
 and yield a dehcious shade. There are, besides, 
 many palaces belonging to the Sultan and Pasha, 
 and such great personages, each having beautiful, 
 paradise-like gardens. One of the palaces especially, 
 belonging to the Sultan, which is called Astoray 
 Taray, situated to the east of the strait, is in 
 such magnificent splendour that we never saw its 
 equal before. We passed by these palaces until
 
 248 JOURNAL OF 
 
 we came to the harbour between Constantinople 
 and Scutari, where we cast anchor. The Bosphorus 
 bounds the extremity of Europe, and separates it 
 from Asia. Europe is one of the four quarters of 
 the world, of which one is called Asia, another 
 Africa, one Europe, and the fourth America. But 
 Europe, over most of which we have travelled, 
 though it is smaller in size than any other of the 
 three continents, is yet more thickly populated than 
 any one of them ; for there are not three inches of 
 land in its length and breadth where you do not meet 
 with cultivation and habitations, except in Russia, 
 which is a vast country : some parts of which, on 
 accoxmt of their distance, and others on account of 
 their being so far removed from the sun, are ex- 
 tremely cold and cannot be cultivated ; yet all the 
 parts are thickly populated. Europe is 3000 
 miles long, and 2000 broad. It is bounded by the 
 Atlantic, and is surrounded on all sides by seas, 
 except on the side of Asia, where it has the river 
 Don in Russia. Europe terminates towards the 
 east by the Asiatic Ottoman territory, on the south 
 by the Great Sea, on the north by the Frozen 
 Ocean, on the west by the West Sea.
 
 THE PERSIAN PRINCES. ^49 
 
 The kingdoms of Europe which are governed by 
 independent kings are as follow : England, France, 
 Belgium, Russia, Austria, Spain, Bavaria, Portu- 
 gal, Holland, Switzerland, Hanover, Wirtemburg, 
 Sardinia, Naples, Rome, Tuscany, Greece, Den- 
 mark, Sweden, Saxony, Nassau, Walachia, and 
 Moldavia. Each of the above-mentioned kingdoms 
 has a king, with a crowTi and mint, except those 
 of Walachia and Moldavia, which are governed by 
 Princes. There are many islands belonging to 
 Europe in the different seas, the largest of them 
 are as follow : in the Atlantic are England and 
 Scotland, generally kno^\^l by the name of Great 
 Britain, and Ireland ; those in the Mediterranean 
 are six in number : Sicily, Majorca, Minorca, 
 Malta, Crete or Candia, and Cyprus. Those 
 in the Baltic and North Sea are also six in 
 number : Zealand, Bornholm, Oland, Gothland, 
 Aland, and Iceland, which last contains many 
 curious and wonderful things. Besides these, there 
 are a great many inferior islands. The rivers of 
 Em-ope are as follows : the Danube, the Volga, 
 the Rhiile, the Thames, the Rhone, the Tagus, the 
 Neva, the Vistula, the Elbe, the Tiber, the
 
 250 JOURNAL OF 
 
 Dnieper, the Don, and the Dwina. Of many fine 
 lakes in Europe those in Switzerland are the 
 largest. The principal mountains are the Dofrines, 
 the Pyrenees, the Alps, the Apennines, the Kra- 
 pak or Carpathian, and Castagnat, or Chain of 
 Haemus. 
 
 The whole population of Europe, according to 
 the last census of the year 1230 of the Hegira, 
 was 182,000,000; these all profess the Christian 
 religion, except a few who are Jews. However, 
 to-day we arrived at its extreme point towards the 
 east, which is this strait. Mr. Eraser directly after 
 went on shore to sec the ambassador, and we re- 
 mained on board the Ferdinando. The distance 
 from Galatz to Constantinople is 400 miles ; it 
 being to SuHneh, which terminates the Danube, 
 110 miles ; from Sulineh to Varna 160, from Varna 
 to the beginning of the Bosphorus 120, and the 
 strait itself is twenty miles long. 
 
 The dangers of the Black Sea are very great ; 
 yet, thanks be to God, we passed it in perfect 
 safety. After Mr. Eraser had announced our arri- 
 val, the Reis EfFendi, who is at the head of the 
 foreign department, sent a trustee on board to us.
 
 THE PERSIAN PRINCES. 25l 
 
 saying, " that His Imperial Majesty the Sultan, 
 ha\dng been informed of your coming before 
 youi* arrival, has prepared a residence for you, Yani 
 Koi, which is pleasantly situated on the Bos- 
 phorus, where there is no disease, and every 
 thing made ready for your reception." We 
 expressed our thanks for the kindness of the Sul- 
 tan, and it being now late, we slept on board, and 
 read the letters which had just reached us from 
 Bagdad and other parts. 
 
 Wednesday the 29th. We entered into boats 
 sent by the Government, and landed at the palace 
 which was prepared at Yani Koi. This residence 
 is large, and beautifully situated on the sea, com- 
 pletely furnished. Mohammed Nadi Beg, an officer 
 of government, was appointed our Mihmander. 
 On entering the mansion we were fumigated, with 
 all our baggage. 
 
 Thursday, the last of this month. Mohammed 
 Ava Khoili, who is the Elchia of Persia at the 
 Porte, \^dth some other officers, called upon us. 
 
 Friday the 1st of Ramadan. The blessed Lord 
 Ponsonb'y, His Britannic Majesty's Ambassador, 
 and the French charge d'affaires called upon us,
 
 252 JOURNAL OF 
 
 complimented us on our safe arrival, and mani- 
 fested towards us the utmost friendship and polite- 
 ness. Lord Ponsonby is a thoroughly experienced 
 nobleman, and a complete scholar, having spent 
 all his life in political affairs and offices, and pos- 
 sesses a perfect talent for every thing. After some 
 friendly conversation they returned. 
 
 Saturday the 2nd, there was a strong hurricane, 
 and the waves of the Bosphorus nearly rushed 
 into our residence. To-day some English gentle- 
 men called to see us. 
 
 Sunday the 3rd, Taymoor Meerza was seized 
 with a strong attack of fever, and suffered ex- 
 tremely. 
 
 On accoimt of the plague in Constantinople 
 and its neighbourhood, no one approached us, nor 
 would any medical man come to attend on Tay- 
 moor Meerza. However, we ourselves, by inspi- 
 ration and the word of God, gave him some medi- 
 cine which we had brought with us from London. 
 The servants who were left here to attend us, on see- 
 ing Taymoor Meerza's illness, all ran away, and the 
 Shawhat Bey, the son of our Mihmander, learning 
 the same, lost no time in leaving the house, and
 
 THE PERSIAN PRINCES. 253 
 
 we were left quite alone. We were now reduced 
 to a most miserable condition, on seeing this, and 
 the sufferings of Taymoor Meerza, and had no- 
 body to comfort us, but the trust in the mercy of 
 Omnipotence, who pro\'ides for and helps his ser- 
 vants, and into whose care we surrendered ourselves. 
 To-day Mr. Eraser came as usual to see us, with 
 an English officer, who commanded the British 
 man-of-war here. As soon as I informed them of 
 Taymoor Meerza's illness, they rose up and de- 
 parted, without looking behind them. This in- 
 creased our alarm, and we were nearly perishing, 
 without knowing what to do. 
 
 At night, by the word of God, we gave our 
 brother some medicine, and two hours afterwards he 
 perspired, and the fever left him. He afterwards 
 rose and sat up, and ate with an appetite. We 
 now adored God, with myriads of thanks, for he 
 gradually got well, and it did not turn out to be 
 the plague. 
 
 Monday the 4th, Gimal Effendi, the Naib of 
 Reis Effendi, called upon us on the part of the 
 Government, to comphment us on our arrival, and 
 to offer an apology for their not being able to come 
 
 VOL. II. z
 
 254 JOURNAL OF 
 
 sooner to see us, on account of the plague, they 
 being in quarantine: that, further, the Government 
 would be very happy to render us any assistance 
 required ; that nothing should be neglected for our 
 sakes ; and that, as we wished to proceed to Bag- 
 dad, the royal Mihmander was appointed, with 
 the necessary finnan, to conduct us agreeably 
 thither. We expressed our thanks and gratitude 
 for the kindness of the Sultan ; and Gimal Ef- 
 fendi remained with us till late at night, convers- 
 ing in Turkish and Persian on different topics, 
 and then departed. 
 
 Tuesday the 5th, nothing new occurred, but we 
 were invited to an entertainment given by Lord 
 Ponsonby. In the evening the ambassador sent 
 us his boat, wliich we entered, and rowed by the 
 different buildings on the shore, till we arrived at 
 the palace. 
 
 The ambassador used formerly to reside in the 
 city of Constantinople, but his palace having been 
 burnt a few years ago, the Sultan gave him one 
 in its place at Therapia, as a grant to him and his 
 successors. It is pleasantly situated, having pure 
 air and excellent water. When we entered the
 
 THE PERSIAN PRINCES. 255 
 
 palace, we were respectfully received in a very 
 honourable and friendly manner by his Excel- 
 lency, and were conducted into a majestic assem- 
 bly, and introduced to the honourable and accom- 
 plished Lady Ponsonby. The dinner consisted 
 of all kinds of dressed and undressed eatables. 
 Here we also met Monsieur Gardova, the Spanish 
 minister, with other persons of high distinction. 
 Some of the party spoke in Turkish. The Spa- 
 nish ambassador spoke a little Persian. After 
 spending some very pleasant hours of the night, we 
 returned to our residence. 
 
 Wednesday the 6th, Thursday the 7th, nothing 
 new occurred. Monsieur Gardova, the Spanish 
 ambassador, called upon us. 
 
 Friday the 8th, Saturday the 9th, nothing of 
 consequence happened worth mentioning. Every 
 day we were expecting to leave this place. 
 
 Sunday the 10th, Monday the 11th, and Tues- 
 day the 12th, were spent at home. 
 
 Wednesday the 13th, was the birth-day of Sul- 
 tan Mahmoud, which caused a very great feast in 
 the great capital. 
 
 To-day Hossein Mohammed Effendi called upon
 
 256 JOURNAL OF 
 
 US from the Government, and said that he was 
 ordered by Government to conduct us, as a Mih- 
 mander, as far as Bagdad, by the route of Diar- 
 bekir and Mosul, and had come to see what was 
 required, and what was necessary for the conveni- 
 ence of our travelhng. 
 
 Thursday the 14th, Friday the 15th, Saturday 
 the 16th, and Sunday the 17th, nothing of import- 
 happened. 
 
 Monday the 18th, and Tuesday the 19th, we 
 received no news respecting our departure, and 
 spent the days in the weariness of fasting, it being 
 the Ramadan. 
 
 Wednesday tlie 20th, we heard news from Con- 
 stantinople, that Kliooloossi Pasha, the minister of 
 foreign affairs, was attacked by the plague, which 
 was again increasing in the city. Tliis put a 
 stop to our departure. We also heard that a 
 royal Prince of Persia was coming to Constanti- 
 nople by the route of Diarbekir, and his arrival 
 was expected on the following day. 
 
 Thursday the 21st, Friday the 22nd, and Satur- 
 day the 23rd, nothing particular happened. We 
 ascertained that the expected royal Persian Prince,
 
 THE PERSIAN PRINCES. 257 
 
 named Allah Wardi Meerza, had just arrived at 
 Constantinople. 
 
 On Sunday the 24th, and Monday the 25th, we 
 sent Khoojah Assaad, our interpreter, to the city, 
 to call upon Allah Wardi Meerza with our compli- 
 ments, and to get information from him. 
 
 From this day to Sunday, the 1st of Shewal, 
 and the feast of Fatar, we were quite idle and 
 melancholy, on account of our delay here, nor did 
 we know when our departure was to take place. 
 To-day there was a great and wonderful feast 
 here. 
 
 It is the custom in this place, to keep up the 
 feast of Fatar for three successive days, which are 
 spent in pleasure and amusement ; and notwith- 
 standing the existence of the plague, the feast was 
 commemorated, according to the usual custom. 
 On this day the Prince royal, Allah Wardi Meerza, 
 honoured us with his presence. He spent the 
 night with us, and the following day, until sunset, 
 when he returned to his residence at Constanti- 
 nople. We accompanied the Prince in our boat 
 a part' of the way, and amused ourselves by shoot- 
 ing sea-fowl. We learned from his Royal Highness
 
 258 JOURNAL OP 
 
 all the news of Persia, and what he knew of our 
 affairs there, &c. 
 
 Monday the 2nd, Tuesday the 3rd, we again 
 entered a boat and went to shoot some sea-fowls, 
 but took none. From Wednesday the 4th, until 
 Monday the 9th, we were idle, doing nothing all 
 this time, not having heard any thing from the 
 Ottoman Government. 
 
 Tuesday the 10th, we were invited by the 
 British ambassador, at whose palace we spent a 
 very pleasant part of the evening. 
 
 Wednesday we spent at home. 
 
 Thursday the 12th, we went to honour ourselves 
 by visitingPrince Allah Wardi Meerza at Constan- 
 tinople, vdih whom we spent the night. On the 
 following day, Friday, we went out with the Prince 
 to visit the mosques and places of worship at Con- 
 stantinople ; they are most splendid edifices, and of 
 wonderful construction, which I hope to describe 
 hereafter. 
 
 Wednesday the 18th, Khoojah Assaad our inter- 
 preter bade us good-bye to go to Damascus ; we 
 were quite unhappy in losing his company, for 
 he had now been to us more than a year a good
 
 THE PERSIAN PRINCES. 259 
 
 friend and a pleasant companion. We felt exceed- 
 ingly sorry at his leaving us. To-day his Royal 
 Highness Allah Wardi Meerza honoured us with 
 a visit, and spent the day and the night with us. 
 
 Friday the 20th, we accompanied the Prince to^ 
 Constantinople,- and \dsited some of the edifices 
 there. All this time we heard nothing from the 
 Ottoman Government, and did not know when our 
 departure was to take place, or what they had done 
 on our behalf, for notwithstanding the solicitations 
 of H. B. M.'s ambassador, nothing was yet settled, 
 and our time was being spent in vain. However we 
 passed a few days in Constantinople, and afterwards 
 returned to our residence at Yaui Koi; we were 
 idle and doing notliing until Tuesday the 24th, 
 every day waiting for news from the Government. 
 
 Friday the 27th, we received intelligence that 
 a Mihmander from the Sultan was certainly ap- 
 pointed, that the firmans were written, and that 
 we most undoubtedly should leave soon. This 
 news made us happy, and we awaited the result. 
 
 Tuesday the 2nd of Zelkedi, notwithstanding 
 its being the 10th of Pisces, the snow fell in 
 great quantity at Constantinople and in the neigh- 
 bourhood, so much so, that the old people said
 
 260 JOURNAL OF 
 
 that they did not recollect such a fall of snow at 
 this season of the year in their lives. It was so 
 excessively cold that none of us would venture 
 out of doors. After having waited so long the 
 arrangement of our affairs by Government, and 
 now that all was settled, we were delayed by the 
 weather ; which did not abate until Friday the 
 fifth. To-day Prince Allah Wardi Meerza ho- 
 noured lis vv-ith his presence at our residence. 
 Taher Bey called also upon the part of Go- 
 vernment, and said that he was appointed to be 
 our Mihmander, that our leave was granted by the 
 Sultan, and that the following Monday was fixed 
 for our departure. 
 
 Friday and Saturday. Taher Bey came to our 
 residence with some boats from Government, and 
 said that every thing was ready and prepared for 
 our movements. We could not express our joy at 
 these happy tidings, which gave us to hope that 
 we should soon see home and friends. Moreover, 
 our delay and stay at Yaui Koi had been to us like 
 a dreadful prison. To-day the Hon. Mr. Fraser, 
 who accompanied us as Mihmander from the 
 EngUsh Government to Constantinople, came to 
 bid us farewell, to whom we presented a valuable
 
 THE PERSIAN PRINCES. 261 
 
 diamond ring, for the sake of our remembrance, 
 and then entered the boat with Taher Bey and 
 left Yaui Koi. We afterwards landed at Askidau 
 or Scutari, where we stopped a few hours gazing 
 at the multitudes of people, and four hours before 
 sunset set off. 
 
 Constantinople is one of the seven great 
 cities of the world, but in regard to its 
 structure, situation, and climate, it is more dis- 
 tinguished than any other part of the world, and 
 especially in regard to its position, it is unrivalled 
 by any other city on the globe. This magnificent 
 city was built by Constantine the Great, in the 
 year 330 of the Christian era, or 254 years before 
 the Mohammedan Hejira, and was named after him. 
 This noble city continued for a thousand years to 
 be the metropolis of the Eastern kingdoms, for 
 the emperors who resided in it ruled over most 
 parts of the Eastern world, in which direction 
 their authority extended very far. In the year 
 1453 after Jesus, it was conquered by Sultan Mo- 
 hammed el Fateh, and it has ever since been the 
 possession and residence of the Ottoman Sultans, 
 to whom, after having taken possession of this
 
 262 JOURNAL OF 
 
 capital, all its dependencies surrendered. Con- 
 stantinople is built on seven mountains, in a tri- 
 angular form, and is situated between two long 
 straits of the Black Sea, Kara Denkey, and the 
 Sea of Marmora or Macmais. Each of these straits 
 is twenty miles long ; the harbour of Constan- 
 tinople is sufficiently large to receive 12,000 ships 
 of the line. The external appearance of this noble 
 city is beautiful and delightful to the eye, but in- 
 side the streets are narrow and the houses mostly 
 built of wood, and subject to fire, so that it often 
 happens that a fire accidentally breaks out, and in 
 an instant these large lofty houses, with every thing 
 therein, are reduced to a heap of ashes — such a 
 dreadful occurrence is called by the Turks, yaghin. 
 It is on account of this danger that every one of 
 the \'izirs, or pashas, has in his house a long 
 minaret, where there are always some persons 
 watcliing, so that when they see any fire break out, 
 tliey immediately report it to the pashas, who then 
 take their servants and attendants, and help in 
 putting it out. The unfortunate beings whose 
 houses take fire, may perhaps one day be worth 
 millions of money, the next may be reduced to
 
 THE PERSIAN PRINCES. 263 
 
 poverty and made beggars ; this is indeed a very 
 dreadful plague to this city. Most of the ancient 
 celebrated edifices of Constantinople are going to 
 decay, except the mosque of Agra Sophia, which 
 was built by Constantino for a church, but was 
 afterwards converted into a mosque when Constan- 
 tinople was conquered by the Mussulmen. It is 
 stated that when Sultan Mohammed el Fateh 
 entered Constantinople, 12,000 Christians were 
 killed at the door of this church. Such an edifice 
 is not to be seen any where else, nor is there a 
 mosque equal to it existing in the world. It is 
 270 feet long, and 240 broad. It would lengthen 
 this work too much to enter into a description of 
 the palaces, baths, and khans belonging to the 
 Sultan. On the whole such wonderful mosques 
 and splendid remains exist in this city, as are 
 not to be met with in any other place. The large 
 Mussulman mosques in Constantinople are 300 in 
 number, each of which is wonderfully constructed. 
 In most of the biu*ying grounds, the cypress is 
 planted, which grows here larger than other trees. 
 After ihe mosque of Agra Sophia, the next in 
 order is that of Sultan Solyman, and after-
 
 264 JOURNAL OF 
 
 wards that of Sultan Achmet. The followers of 
 Jesus have thirty churches here. The population 
 of Constantinople is 1 ,300,000 souls. Its water is 
 very digestive, and its air is exceedingly pure and 
 healthy ; the best of its fountains is that of Yaui 
 Koi. All kinds of fruit are imported from all 
 parts, and much grows here. Corn is principally 
 imported from Russia, rice from Egypt, as they do 
 not grow sufficient for their consumption. All 
 kinds of flowers are found in this metropolis. In 
 the straits there is a kind of small fish, possessing 
 a flavour that we never tasted before, and it is 
 probable there are none to be found in any other 
 part of the sea. The great people of this country 
 are in general polite in their manners ; their meet- 
 ings for conversation are carried on in the cofiee- 
 houses. The custom in other countries of friends 
 entertaining and visiting each other, is here un- 
 known. The common and lower class of people are 
 very much addicted to practising what is known to 
 the Arabs by drink-money,or brothership,and among 
 the Persians by tribute. The EngUsh travellers who 
 visit the East cannot but know the word baksheesh. 
 One day after going about the streets, and
 
 THE PERSIAN PRINCES. ^ 265 
 
 gazing at what was to be seen, we returned to our 
 residence. A man followed us, and demanded of 
 us a baksheesh. I said to him, *' What hast thou 
 done for us to entitle thee to it?" He said, 
 " Wliile you were walking about the streets in the 
 heat of the sun, my wife put the clothes out on 
 the terrace to dry, which no doubt gave you a 
 shade, which you must have enjoyed, while resting 
 from the heat ; it is therefore necessary that you 
 should give me a baksheesh." Another day, while 
 we were at Constantinople, as we were going to 
 visit the Mosque of Sultan Achmet, a man came 
 to us, and demanded a baksheesh. I said to him, 
 " What good hast thou done for us ?" He repHed, 
 " Some persons saw you at a distance, and thought 
 that you were people of this country, but I, 
 knowing that you were not of this place, but 
 Persians, began to praise you before them ; now 
 you must give me my rights." Such is their 
 endless way of asking for baksheesh, and their 
 generosity in demanding charity. 
 
 A siniilar occurrence happened to us, after 
 departijig from Constantinople. On our way to 
 Bagdad, we arrived at a large city, where we 
 
 VOL. II. 2 A
 
 266 JOURNAL OF 
 
 alighted at a lodge. Having travelled very hard 
 during the day^ we felt exceedingly hungry on our 
 arrival, and demanded something to eat. They 
 told us, that our dinner was to come from the 
 Palace of the Governor of the place. Now, for 
 the sake of receiving the Governor's entertainment, 
 we consented to wait. Thus some hours elapsed, 
 and the expected dinner had not made its 
 appearance. We waited till three hours after 
 sunset, but the promised supper was not brought ; 
 imtil at last we could wait no longer, as our 
 hunger had vastly increased. At tliis time, some 
 men came into our room, of whom we asked their 
 business. The eldest of them said, " I am the 
 head cook of the Pasha, and one of these two, is 
 his chief lawees, or janissary, and the other is his 
 water cup-bearer. The Pasha has ordered a 
 diiuier for you, which is ready, and we are now 
 come to demand a baksheesh, and then we will 
 bring it." Being very hungry, I could not help 
 giving the fellow a blow on his head, and desired 
 him to leave the room. Upon this, they all stood 
 at the door, begging forgiveness ; for they knew 
 that if the Pasha should be informed of this, he
 
 THE PERSIAN PRINCES. 267 
 
 would be exceedingly angry with them. After 
 they had solicited pardon, it was agreed that we 
 should not mention the matter to the Pasha, and 
 that they should bring us one half of the dinner, 
 and the other half they were to keep, instead of 
 their baksheesh. Such is the manner in which 
 they conduct themselves in this habit of theirs ; 
 the liigher class of the people of this kingdom, 
 however, are very noble, rich, and honourable in 
 their deahngs, and their kings are just and 
 generous. 
 
 Formerly the Ottoman Sultans were not to be 
 seen in the bazaars, and no one dared to approach 
 them with an application or petition. Whenever 
 they went out, it was always in imperial state, and 
 the people were obliged to bow their heads to 
 them most respectfully. The present Sultan 
 Mahmoud, the Badishah of the age, is a wise man, 
 and possesses a high degree of talent, kind feelings, 
 and superior intellect. His Majesty has already 
 introduced into his kingdom such European regu- 
 lations, as are calculated to promote the advance- 
 ment and prosperity of his empire and subjects. 
 But in so doing, he is perplexed beyond measure,
 
 268 JOURNAL OF 
 
 by the ignorance of the people of this country. 
 However, he has succeeded in having his views 
 executed. Dui'ing this reform, some of the foolish 
 people, called janissaries, attempted to interrupt 
 his proceedings, and declared themselves against 
 the interest of the public. His Imperial Majesty 
 was displeased with their conduct ; and in a short 
 time, 30,000 of them were destroyed, which 
 restored tranquillity to the government. The 
 form of their government, is at present similar to 
 that of the Franks, but the Sultan still remains 
 despotic, having all the power in his own hands. 
 The \'izirs of government are intrusted with great 
 power ; they are twelve in number, and carry on 
 all the affairs of government. Each of them has 
 a department in the Sublime Porte, where they sit 
 daily. After they decide on any point, they send 
 in their conclusion to the Sultan, who also makes 
 his decision, and gives out his orders accordingly. 
 If the answer from the Sultan should be delayed, 
 however important it may be, it is not a rule mth 
 the vizirs to apply for it a second time. It must 
 be left entirely to the Emperor's pleasm-e. The 
 ancient condition of the Ottoman government has
 
 THE PERSIAN PRINCES. 269 
 
 suflfered a great deal through neglect. Russia has 
 seized upon many of its territories. Algiers, with 
 some of its dependencies, has been taken by 
 France. Walachia and Moldavia, are free princi- 
 palities. The islands of Greece, with the Morea, 
 have become entirely independent, and have a 
 new Badishah ; and Mohammed Ali Pasha is 
 almost sole Regent in Egypt, Syria, and Arabia. 
 Such are the very injurious losses which have 
 befallen the Ottoman government, on account of 
 the neghgence of the vizirs. At present, however, 
 by the wise proceedings of the reigning Sultan, 
 the empire is advancing and flourishing ; so we see 
 that God fulfils liis own will, and orders what he 
 pleases. Notwithstanding that little remains of 
 the former vast possessions of the Ottoman govern- 
 ment, still the yearly revenue of the treasury is 
 600,057 purses, each piu'se amounting to ten 
 Persian tomans. The standing army under pay, 
 is 120,000 regular infantry, and 30,000 cavaliy, 
 some of whom are in the capital, and others in 
 different parts of the empire. The artillery con- 
 sists of 150 pieces of cannon. One portion of the 
 army is drilled according to the French discipline, 
 2 A 2
 
 270 JOURNAL OF 
 
 and the other according to the Russian. Their 
 cavaby is also regular, and the old companies of 
 horsemen are done away with. The Imperial 
 Sultan is very fond of building new edifices, and 
 has already constructed some most splendid and 
 enlivening palaces in Constantinople. Such an 
 one he has lately erected on the European side of 
 the Bosphorus, as the eye never saw elsewhere, nor 
 the ear of men ever heard of before. The bmlding 
 was commenced seven years ago, and it is said 
 that it will require four years more to com- 
 plete it. It is a palace and paradise, and is 
 called the Charagan Serai, and is indeed beyond 
 any description. All the vizirs, pashas, and 
 great people of this kingdom, have palaces on the 
 Bosphorus, where they spend the summer, and 
 where they dwell during the time of plague. The 
 borders of the Bosphorus are unrivalled by any 
 other part in the world. Constantinople, which 
 is also called Stamboul, suffers from two different 
 plagues, fire, and disease, which two evils operate 
 very strongly against its prosperity. This metro- 
 pohs is the best spot on the globe, but the people 
 are never so happy as those in Europe, on account
 
 THE PERSIAN PRINCES. 271 
 
 of the two above mentioned calamities. It is 
 never free from plague. This disease, according 
 to the opinion of European doctors, is an over- 
 heating of the blood, and is therefore generally 
 less dangerous in cold climates. It breaks out 
 alike on man, and animals, uncooked victuals, 
 cloth, cotton, and woollen manufactures, fruits, 
 vegetables, and flesh, in which articles it is ascer- 
 tained to remain forty days. The articles which 
 are not susceptible of plague are metals, coins, 
 jewels, stones, and prepared or baked food, all 
 wliich are not contagious, even if taken from a 
 hand infected with the plague. There is no better 
 safeguard against this disease than to be cautious in 
 intercourse, and to abstain from contact. If you 
 do not touch a man who has the plague, or any 
 thing else infected by it, you can receive no in- 
 jury. You may even be quite close to a man who 
 has the plague, but so as you do not touch him, 
 and keep a span's distance from him, you wiU not 
 be endangered. As to the contagiousness of the 
 plague, it seems to depend on the state of the 
 constitution of the person. For instance, twenty 
 persons might touch the pestilence and all take it,
 
 272 JOURNAL OF 
 
 or, on the other hand, perhaps not one, or only five 
 of them may be infected, while the others escape. 
 Moreover, it is sometimes very irregular and mys- 
 terious in its effects. It may be that a man may un- 
 knowingly have the plague about him, and may com- 
 municate it to another, while it produces no effect 
 upon himself; whereas, at another time, by touching 
 the least article, he may catch the disease. A few 
 years ago a fine educated and rich young Turk, 
 named Plassan Aga, left Smyrna for Eiu*ope, for 
 the purpose of trading and travelling. On ar- 
 riving at Malta, where, as has been already men- 
 tioned, the law is that every person coming from 
 the East must perform quarantine, this yoimg 
 gentleman, witli all the other passengers and the 
 ship, performed his quarantine. After taking 
 pratique, Hassan Aga landed at Valetta, and, 
 while walking about the town, his eye fell upon a 
 young lady, who had a face like a full moon, and 
 by her he became bound, and fell into the chains 
 of her love. However, after enduring a great deal 
 on account of lier love, he at last, by means of 
 large sums of money, succeeded in entering her 
 door. While conversing together in the height
 
 THE PERSIAN PRINCES. 273 
 
 of their amorous intercourse, Hassan, as a token 
 of his love, and for the sake of increasing the 
 friendship, presented his beloved with a diamond 
 ring, which he had on his finger. The ring having 
 been too large, by unforeseen predestination, he had 
 tied a little thread around it, which, during the 
 time of his performing quarantine, he had neg- 
 lected to air or to have smoked ; Hassan's consti- 
 tution not being then susceptible, he did not take 
 the plague ; but now the ring being put on the 
 young lady's finger, while the heat of her blood 
 was at the highest, the plague immediately in- 
 fected her, and she communicated it to the young 
 man. The consequence was that both of them 
 died soon after. From them the people of that 
 place became infected, and infected others, and a 
 great number of the people of the city of Malta 
 were destroyed by the plague. Irrational animals 
 may take the plague, and communicate it to man, 
 but it does not affect them. This disease rages in 
 the temperate climates. During the extreme cold 
 and heat, it diminishes, and grows mild, but it 
 does nat entirely disappear. During our stay at 
 Constantinople, it was raging dreadfully on ac-
 
 274 JOURNAL OF 
 
 count of its being the beginning of Capricornus ; 
 the roses were opening, and all the gardens and 
 fields were dressed in the flowers of spring. It 
 is on account of the temperate climate of this 
 city that this dreadful disease never leaves it. 
 
 This plague (from which may God defend us !) 
 breaks out as follows. After a person has touched 
 any thing infected with the plague, and becomes 
 himself infected, if he be in good health, he 
 suddenly alters, and feels as if a glass of ice were 
 thrown down his back ; he is then immediately 
 seized with a violent ague, which lasts for two 
 hours ; after wliich a high fever follows, which 
 deprives him of his senses. If now his attendants 
 and family wish to avoid coming in contact with 
 him, they will bind him, and prevent his rising 
 to do what he pleases. He will feel exceedingly 
 thirsty, and will drink any quantity of water that 
 may be given to him. The more he drinks the 
 more the fever will increase, which continues from 
 twelve to seventy hours, according to the constitu- 
 tion of the person. The plague then appears in 
 him, which is of two kinds, internal and external. 
 If it should be internal (God protect such !) in the
 
 THE PERSIAN PRINCES. 275 
 
 heart-level, lie will instantly die ; the external is at- 
 tended with buboes, which appear in number from 
 one to seven. The buboes are of two sorts, red and 
 black. If they should be black, the man will undoubt- 
 edly die ; but if they should be red, he will certainly 
 recover. Should they be of both colours, the denser 
 colour will be the stronger ; but he who recovers 
 will remain about three months ill, weak, and 
 feverish. The larger and more obstinate the buboes 
 may be, the longer it will remain, and the more 
 the patient will suifer from it. The doctors and 
 philosophers of Europe, with all their experiments 
 and exertions, in the treatment of this disease, 
 have not found a remedy besides abstaining from 
 contact ; they are, however, always endeavouring 
 to make further investigations in regard to it. 
 Ten years ago a celebrated philosopher of France 
 was sent by the French government to Syria, ac- 
 companied by ten other clever medical men, in 
 order to use his utmost abihty and skill by exa- 
 mining this disease, to endeavour to find out by 
 experiment some remedy against it, for the uni- 
 versal benefit of mankind. Wlien the said doctor 
 arrived at Beyrout, he began making inquiries in
 
 276 JOURNAL OF 
 
 regard to this disease, what sort of sickness it 
 was ? While pursuing his investigations, he was 
 informed that whenever this disease broke out in 
 this region it spread every where, and no village 
 escaped it, except one in Lebanon, called ZafFad, 
 the inhabitants of which are never distressed by 
 this calamity. When the plague rages at Beyrout, 
 the people of Zaffad bring to it oil and other pro- 
 visions, mix with the people in the town, carry on 
 their business, and go back to their village in perfect 
 safety. The wise doctor, after hearing this account, 
 visited Lebanon, in company with his associates, 
 and spent a few days at the village of Zaffad. He 
 observed that the people here were generally oc- 
 cupied in the oil trade, that their principal food 
 was oil, and their business was chiefly the pressing 
 of olives, which they carry over the country for 
 sale, and that their bodies and clothes were gene- 
 rally daubed with the same. By this the doctor 
 learned that the oil was their protection, and he 
 returned to Beyrout. At that time the plague 
 was raging in Tripoli, in Syria, to which city the 
 doctor proceeded with his associates : when they 
 arrived near the city, they all clad themselves with
 
 THE PERSIAN PRINCES. 277 
 
 clothes steeped in oil, and thus entered Tripoli. 
 They communicated quite freely with persons in- 
 fected with the plague, and used their utmost skill 
 in giving them whatever medicines they thought 
 best, but none of them proved efficient. How- 
 ever, although they had communicated so freely 
 with the diseased persons, even putting their hands 
 into the matter of the plague, and into the 
 wounds, yet they were not in the least affected 
 by it. They daily dipped their clothes in oil, and 
 had the same mixed with their food. After having 
 been three months amidst the plague, and pre- 
 scribing all sorts of medicines, which all proved 
 in vain, the chief doctor said to his companions, 
 " We have been so long in this place, and have done 
 all that we could, which I am sorry to see has all 
 turned out fruitless, that we must return to France 
 without having succeeded in our object ; yet, be- 
 fore we leave, I have one thing more in mind 
 which I should like to try, — I think this matter 
 of the plagvie may be similar to that of the small- 
 pox, and perhaps if we inoculate with the matter 
 just as we do for the small-pox, it may be effec- 
 tual in modifying the disease." The disciples ap- 
 VOL. II. 2 B
 
 278 JOURNAL OF 
 
 proved of this suggestion, and said, " Let us now 
 try this by an experiment, which of course cannot 
 but be exceedingly dangerous." The first assist- 
 ant of the old doctor, who was the wisest among 
 his disciples, said, " I will try this experiment 
 upon myself." So they brought some matter 
 from a man infected with the plague, and his 
 companions opened a wound upon him, and put 
 in the matter, just as in inoculation for the 
 small-pox ; the doctor, however, expired five 
 hours after. The chief doctor and his disciples 
 now learnt that this also was of no avail, and so 
 returned to France, saying that this disease baffled 
 all skill, and was incurable ; but that tlie oil of 
 olives was of invaluable use, before the breaking 
 out of the disease. The plague does not commu- 
 nicate itself to liquids ; and if any thing infected 
 by it, should be put into vinegar, it will soon be 
 freed from it. There are two remedies against the 
 plague ; one consists in keeping away from it, and 
 in not holding communication with any person, 
 and in fleeing to some place which is free from the 
 disease, and where diseased persons are not allowed 
 to enter. Those persons who happen to be in the
 
 THE PERSIAN PRINCES. 279 
 
 city, when the plague breaks out, and are obliged 
 to remain there, must perform quarantine in their 
 houses, and touch nobody, and, if possible, have no 
 communication with others. As, however, every 
 one will always require some important articles from 
 the market, he must follow the quarantine regula- 
 tions in regard to them, which are as follows : — He 
 must, if possible, have in his house all necessary 
 provisions, and give strict orders to his family not 
 to move a step out of doors, and if any one should 
 go out of the house not to receive him in again. 
 He must not keep in the house any animals, such 
 as dogs, cats. See. What may be required from the 
 market, ought to be sent for through the servant 
 wlio is out of doors, which should be brought in a 
 basket, and put into \'inegar before being used. 
 As to wearing apparel, it must be put into a 
 copper vessel, and thoroughly smoked. Money 
 must not be received, except it be first passed 
 through vinegar ; and all letters ought to be fumi- 
 gated. Each letter should be smoked separately, 
 for one letter may be enclosed in another, so that 
 by fuihigating the outer one, you cannot prevent 
 the danger of the inner, which, therefore, ought to
 
 280 JOURNAL OF 
 
 be opened and fumigated also. By strictly ob- 
 serving these regulations of quarantine, and the 
 will of God, the plague will not be communicated 
 to the house. Cotton and wool are the articles 
 most susceptible of plague, and the best remedies 
 against it, are \-inegar and oil. Clothes which may 
 be infected with the plague, may be purified by 
 being put into the open air. Rubies, and rings 
 made of that stone, are very beneficial in time of 
 plague ; tliis, however, rests with my informant to 
 sustain. The people of Constantinople are careless 
 in respect to the plague, and very few of them keep 
 quarantine, on wliich account they are never free 
 from it. Did not this disease carry ofi" the popu- 
 lation of Constantinople, the number of its inha- 
 bitants would be beyond enumeration. However, 
 if I were to describe all the things connected 
 %vith this magnificent city, I should have to write 
 a book by itself ; therefore let what has been said 
 suffice. 
 
 The day after we departed from Constanti- 
 nople, we travelled all the way by the coast of 
 Marmora, which is the beginning of the West 
 Sea. The country was green, beautifully adorned
 
 THE PERSIAN PRINCES. 281 
 
 with the flowers of spring. There are here many 
 fine fountains of water, and edifices pleasantly- 
 situated on the coast, and the roads in some 
 degree resemble those of Europe After travel- 
 ling four parasangs we arrived at a village called 
 Cartal, which is on the coast of the sea of Mar- 
 mora, where we alighted at a decent habita- 
 tion. 
 
 Wednesday the 24th, we started, and again 
 travelled by the coast of Marmora, and through a 
 beautiful green country and delightful climate, 
 and after making five miles, arrived at a town 
 called Zele. The cypress trees are here very 
 plentiful. 
 
 Along the road to-day we met at every little 
 distance a fountain of good water, flowing from 
 a lion's head, by which was also a coffee-house for 
 the convenience of travellers. This road is adapted 
 for carriages. At this place we alighted at the 
 Governor's house, took coffee, and spent the rest 
 of the night, and on the following morning, Thurs- 
 day the 11th, we left, and travelled by delightful 
 mountains, from which pure streams of water 
 were running, and having exceedingly healthy air. 
 
 O Tf o 
 
 ry sy t^
 
 i^82 JOURNAL OF 
 
 As we passed the Straits of Marmora, we gazed 
 at the enchanting sight the scene presented, and 
 after making nine parasangs arrived at a beautiful 
 city called Azruit, where we spent the night at 
 tlie residence prepared for us. This city is plea- 
 santly situated on the coast of Marmora, and is 
 thickly populated. It contains some very distin- 
 guished palaces belonging to the Sultan. Pines 
 and other large trees are plentiful here, in conse- 
 (juence of which they have a dockyard, and build 
 ships of war for the Sultan. There are now two 
 very fine vessels being just finished, each carrj'ing 
 sixty guns. 
 
 Friday the 12th, we departed. The weather 
 was cloudy and rainy. The road was very muddy 
 in some parts, and it was with difficulty that we 
 crossed this plain, through wliich there are some 
 fine and large rivers running ; several parts of the 
 road were paved with stones. 
 
 After travelling six parasangs, we arrived at 
 Shauchak. The Tartar conducted us to the house 
 of Achmet Aga Doochi Paslii, where we alighted, 
 and rested a little, until the horses were changed. 
 The Aga was very polite, and invited us to spend
 
 THE PERSIAN PRINCES. 283 
 
 the day with him, but as we were hastening on 
 our journey, as soon as the horses were ready we 
 turned our faces towards the road. 
 
 High mountains, covered with fine and sturdy 
 trees, and large forests, now presented themselves 
 along our road, from which refreshing streams of 
 water were running. Snow was falling upon the 
 mountains, and it continued raining upon us, until, 
 after travelling six parasangs, we arrived at a 
 village called Vuebeh. To-day we made twelve 
 parasangs, and alighted at a comfortable lodge, 
 where we rested the night. 
 
 Saturday the 13th, we started, and after travel- 
 ling six parasangs, tlu:ough a muddy road, we 
 came to a village called Darakli. This day- 
 the road having been tiresome and difficult, we 
 were quite fatigued, and spent the night here. 
 The natives of this village manufacture combs 
 and spoons ; the latter article they make very 
 fine. 
 
 Sunday the 14th, we left this. The air was 
 excessively cold ; however, we continued our jour- 
 ney, and after making six parasangs, arrived at a 
 town 'called Serahli. This town is situated in a
 
 284- JOURNAL OF 
 
 valley, amidst large mountains, covered with large 
 and fine pines, fi'om which delightful streams of 
 water were running through the town, and in all 
 the houses they have water-cocks. 
 
 We continued our journey through these moun- 
 tains, which were almost entirely covered with 
 snow, and after making in all about fifteen para- 
 sangs, three hours after sunset we arrived at a 
 habitation called Amderley, where we alighted at 
 a house. The governor of tliis place called upon 
 us, witli whom we conversed a little, and being 
 fatigued with our journey, wc soon after retired 
 to bed. 
 
 Monday the 15th, we left this place, and as- 
 cended some high mountains, on which the snow 
 was very thick and deep, and the pines very large 
 and tall. After travelling eight parasangs we 
 reached a village called Nevali, where we spent 
 tlie night. 
 
 Tuesday the IGth, we rose to leave this place, 
 but just as we were about mounting, we heard 
 lamentable weeping in the house. Upon asking 
 what was the matter, they said that the master 
 of the house, and the head of the family, who was
 
 THE PERSIAN PRINCES. 285 
 
 last evening in perfect health, had died during 
 the night, and that his family were bewailing 
 him. We were quite astonished at this, and 
 therefore hastened to leave the place. It was 
 our general custom that wherever we alighted on 
 our journey, we got the master of the house to 
 prepare some provisions to carry with us for the 
 journey of the following day, which we ate by 
 some stream of water on the road. The day that 
 we arrived and lodged with this family, the master 
 of the house died, so no meat was prepared for our 
 breakfast, and as none could be obtained in the 
 place, we were obliged to do without. The Turks 
 who accompanied us laid hold of the sweetmeats 
 which were in the house prepared for the family, 
 as was customary on like occasions. After travelling 
 five parasangs we arrived at a village called Sari, 
 where we stopped an hour, took a little coffee and 
 departed. After making six parasangs more, we 
 arrived at a town called Booyooh Bazar, where 
 we spent the night. This day we travelled fifteen 
 parasangs. To-day our travelling lay over barren 
 hills, and with scarcity of water. 
 
 Wednesday the 17th, we left the place, and
 
 28G JOURNAL OF 
 
 after winding along for the distance of eight 
 parasangs, arrived at a habitation called Ayash, 
 which appertains to Ango ; and is situated be- 
 tween the hills. This town belongs to the Pash- 
 alic of Angora, and is a ver}' cold place ; however 
 we spent the night in it. 
 
 Thursday the 18th, we mounted, and passed over 
 very high mountains covered with snow, and then 
 came to a fine large plain. After marching nine 
 parasangs we arrived at Angora, which is one of 
 the large and well kno^^^^ cities of this empire, and 
 the residence of a Pasha. It is situated at the 
 foot of a mountain, and is surrounded by three 
 large and fortified castles. From the mountain 
 there run fine streams, through the city, and 
 through the houses. Here the fine Angora shawls 
 arc manufactured, and very fine gloves and stock- 
 ings made, but sold at good prices. The fruits 
 are superior, and the apples are particularly deli- 
 cious. The seed was brought from England. 
 The present Pasha of the Ottoman Government 
 who resides here is the Sabek Sodar Azam, or 
 the ex prime minister Azet Mohammed Pasha. 
 The Pasha being infoimed of our arrival, aflTorded
 
 THE PERSIAN PRINCES. 287 
 
 US a good entertainment. In the evening Tay- 
 moor Meerza was taken ill Avith a violent attack 
 of fever. The next day, Friday, we spent at this 
 city, went to the baths, and visited the bazaar, and 
 at night both myself and Wali felt exceedingly 
 unwell. It was a very bad night. 
 
 Saturday the 20th. "We left Angora, and after 
 travelling eight parasangs, arrived at a village 
 called Aloshie, where we alighted. The following 
 accident occurred this day. One of the Tartars 
 who was with us, used every day to start before 
 us, in order to arrive sooner, and prepare horses, 
 pro\asions, and lodgings for our reception. This 
 man used to put any thing into his mouth, ripe or 
 unripe, hot or cold, and used to carry about with 
 him such a quantity of heavy useless arms, as a 
 mule or camel could not carry. Having upon this 
 occasion eaten a great quantity of cooked and un- 
 cooked flesh, he became extremely ill, so much so, 
 that a good quantity of jalap would have been 
 necessary for his relief. He was one of those men 
 in fact, of whom it is said "He created man with 
 a voracious appetite, and as craving as dogs." 
 This man from eating so constantly and perpetually.
 
 288 JOURNAL OF 
 
 together with the fatigue of the journey, was seized 
 with a \aolent cholic. When we arrived at tliis 
 place, we found this poor fellow lying on the 
 ground, suffering exceedingly from the stomach 
 ache, with a crowd of the natives of the \illage 
 around liim. They had a bag full of mould, from 
 which two men, who were sitting beside him, 
 were giving him into his mouth handful after 
 handful to swallow ; we were exceedingly surprised 
 at tliis, and asked them the reason why they gave 
 him such a quantity of earth ? They replied, " This 
 man has the heart ache, and we arc now curing 
 him with this earth, which comes from the holy 
 cemetery of this place, the dust of which cures any 
 illness." Our hearts now felt for the sufferings of 
 tliis man, both on account of the cholic and his 
 being physicked in such a manner with holy dust, 
 for we conceived the man would die before the 
 lapse of five minutes. We immediately reproved 
 the people, and drove them away with their holy 
 medicine, and Taymoor Meerza, from his medi- 
 cine chest, gave him a good dose of jalap and other 
 medicines. The medicine soon operated, and by 
 vomiting what he had lately been stuffing, the
 
 THE PERSIAN PRINCES. 289 
 
 man was restored, so as to be able to follow when 
 we started. 
 
 Sunday tlie 21st. We left this, and ascended 
 a very high mountain, entirely covered with snow, 
 over which we travelled for three hours. The 
 snow was so deep that the horses sank into it up to 
 their breasts, and it was with great difficulty that we 
 reached a town called Kaaluakak. The governor of 
 tliis place, Hadji Mustapha Bey, received us into 
 his house, and showed us every token of friendship 
 and civility. Tliis town is situated in the lap of the 
 mountain, and contains several ancient buildings. 
 It was formerly a very strong castle, and was taken 
 by Prince Koorkan, who fortified it. At present 
 it has not the fortifications that it had once. In 
 the summer season, the water from the snow runs 
 through its delightful gardens. Hadji Mohammed 
 Radina, a Persian, from Kazween, who is residing 
 in this place, came and offered us his services. 
 After spending an hour at the governor's, we 
 changed horses and mounted. We then crossed a 
 river called Darmac, in which we observed some 
 very strange and curious fish of every imaginable 
 colour.' We continued travelling till two hours 
 
 VOL. II. 2 c
 
 290 JOURNAL OF 
 
 after sunset, and then alighted at a village called 
 Sheih Shamieh. This day we travelled fifteen 
 parasangs, and spent the rest of the night here. 
 
 Monday the 22nd. We started, and travelled 
 the whole day ; so that by three hours after sun- 
 set we had made the distance of fifteen parasangs. 
 We then arrived at an habitation called Ainsen- 
 karley, where we alighted at the house of the 
 governor. Said Ali Mina, a very condescending, 
 friendly person, who ofiered us all his services and 
 hospitality. 
 
 Tuesday the 23rd. About noon we left this 
 place, and, after making eight parasangs, arrived 
 at a place called Layha. The principal Dewag, or 
 officer of this town called Ismael Bey, a very affa- 
 ble man, and extremely fond of the chase, pre- 
 sented us with a very fine falcon trained to hunt- 
 ing. It is said that in these mountains this bird 
 abounds. It is taken when yoimg, and brought 
 up for the chase. The people of tliis place are 
 hunters, and game hereabouts is plentiful. 
 
 Wednesday the 24th. We started, and after 
 travelKng six parasangs, arrived at a village called 
 Deway, where the chief man, who is called Ali Bey,
 
 THE PERSIAN PRINCES. 291 
 
 offered us every kind of service. This place is 
 situated in the mountain, which is beautifully 
 covered with flowers. And on the 5th of Maharen 
 we reached Bagdad. 
 
 THE END. 
 
 W. Tyler, Printer, 5, Bolt-court, London.
 
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