Although by trade an executioner, he shows a feeling heart--He meets
with a young man and woman in distress.
The Shah was at this time engaged in a war with the Moscovites, who had
established themselves in Georgia, and were threatening the frontier
provinces of Persia situated between the rivers Kûr and Arras. The
governor of Erivan, known by the title of _serdar_ or general, and one
of the Shahs most favourite officers, had long ago opened the campaign
by desultory attacks upon the advanced posts of the enemy, and by laying
waste the villages and country in the track they were likely to keep
in advancing towards Persia. An army, under the command of the heir
apparent and governor of the great province of Aderbijân, had also been
collected near Tabrîz; and it was intended that he should immediately
proceed to the seat of war, in order if possible to drive the enemy back
to Teflis, and, according to the language of the court, carry its arms
even to the walls of Moscow.
Intelligence was daily expected at the royal camp of Sultanieh, from the
serdar, concerning an attack which he had announced it his intention
to make upon the Russian post of Gavmishlû; and orders were issued
for giving a suitable reception to the heads of the enemy, which it
is always the etiquette to send upon announcing a victory, for such
no doubt was expected to be the result of the attack. A _chapper_, or
courier, was at length seen riding towards the camp in great haste. He
was the conductor of five horse-loads of heads, tis true, and they were
heaped up with great pomp and parade before the principal entrance of
the royal tents; but it became evident that something had taken place
which required a reinforcement; for on the very next morning our chief,
Namerd Khan, was appointed to the command of a body of ten thousand
cavalry, which were ordered to march immediately to the banks of the
Arras.
The _min bashies_, the heads of thousands; the _yûz bashies_, the heads
of hundreds, the _on bashies_, the heads of tens; and all the officers
commanding the troops, were seen hurrying over the camp in various
directions, attending upon their khans, and receiving their orders. The
tent of Namerd Khan was filled with the chiefs of the expedition, to
whom he distributed his directions, giving them the order of march, and
allotting to each division its station in halting at the villages on
the route. My duty was to precede the troops by a day, accompanied by a
detachment of nasakchies, to make arrangements for billeting the men in
the villages. This was a duty requiring activity and exertion; but at
the same time accompanied by great advantages, which, had I chosen to
avail myself of, might have increased the weight of my purse. However,
the recent example of Shîr Ali Beg was too strong before my eyes not
to repress any desire I might have of levying contributions, so I
determined for the present to keep my hands pure, and to quench the
flame of covetousness by the waters of prudence.
I set off with my detachment, and reached Erivan several days before
the troops could arrive. We here found the serdar, who, after his attack
upon Gavmishlû, had retreated, to wait the reinforcement of the cavalry
under our chief. The army under the prince royal had proceeded to
another part of the frontier, with the intention of attacking the
fortress of Ganja, of which the enemy had recently acquired possession,
and unable to spare any of his troops, the serdar had solicited
assistance from the Shah.
As soon as Namerd Khan and the serdar had met and consulted, it was
determined that spies should immediately be sent forwards in order to
ascertain the position, and the movements of the Russians; and I was
fixed upon to head a detachment of twenty men on the part of the chief
executioner, whilst a similar number was sent by the serdar, who at the
same time were to be our guides through such parts of the country as
were unknown to me.
We assembled at the close of day, and began our march just as the
muezzins called the evening prayer. Proceeding at once to the village of
Ashtarek, we passed Etchmiazin, the seat of the Armenian patriarch,
on our left. It was scarcely dawn of day when we reached the bridge of
Ashtarek, still obscured by the deepest shade, owing to the very high
and rocky banks of the river, forming, as it were, two abrupt walls on
either side. The village itself, situated on the brink of these banks,
was just sufficiently lighted up to be distinguished from the rocks
among which it was built; whilst the ruins of a large structure, of
heavy architecture, rose conspicuous on the darkest side, and gave
a character of solemnity and grandeur to the whole scenery. This, my
companions informed me, was the remains of the many Armenian churches so
frequently seen in this part of Persia. The river dashed along through
its dark bed, and we could perceive the foam of its waters as we began
to cross the bridge. The rattle of our horses hoofs over its pavement
had alarmed the village dogs, whose bark we could just distinguish; the
shrill crow of a cock was also heard, and most of our eyes were directed
towards the houses, when one of our men, stopping his horse, exclaimed,
Ya, Ali! (oh, Ali!) what is that? pointing with his hand to the
church: do not you see, there, something white?
Yes, yes, said another, I see it: its a _ghôl_! without doubt its a
ghôl! This is the true hour: it is in search of a corpse. I dare say it
is devouring one now.
I also could see that something was there, but it was impossible to make
it out.
We halted upon the bridge, looking up with all our eyes, every one being
satisfied that it was a supernatural being. One called upon Ali, another
upon Hossein, and a third invoked the Prophet and the twelve Imâms. None
seemed inclined to approach it, but every one suggested some new mode
of exorcism. Untie the string of your trousers, said an old Irâki,
thats the way we treat our ghôls, in the desert near Ispahan, and they
depart instantly.
What good will that do? answered a _delikhan_ (a hare-brained youth);
Id rather keep the beast out than let it in.
In short, what with joking, and what with serious talk, the morning
broke sufficiently to convince us that the apparition must have been an
illusion of our senses, for nothing now was to be seen. However, having
passed the bridge, the said delikhan, shivering in his stirrups, and
anxious to gallop his horse, exclaimed, Ill go and find the ghôl,
drove his horse up a steep bank, and made towards the ruined church. We
saw him return very speedily, with intelligence, that what we had taken
for a ghôl was a woman, whose white veil had attracted our notice, and
that she, with a man, were apparently hiding themselves among the deep
shades of the broken walls.
Full of anxiety for what might throw a light upon the object of my duty,
I lost no time in proceeding to the ruin, in order to ascertain why
these people hid themselves so mysteriously, and ordering five men to
follow me, I made the rest halt near the bridge.
We saw no one until turning the sharp angle of a wall we found, seated
under an arch, the objects of our search. A woman, apparently sick, was
extended on the ground, whilst a man, leaning over, supported her head,
in an attitude of the greatest solicitude. Enough of daylight now shone
upon them to discover that they were both young. The womans face,
partially hid by her veil, notwithstanding its deadly paleness, was
surprisingly beautiful; and the youth was the finest specimen of
strength, activity, and manliness that I had ever seen. He was dressed
in the costume of Georgia, a long knife hung over his thigh, and a gun
rested against the wall. Her veil, which was of the purest white, was
here and there stained with blood, and torn in several places. Although
I had been living amongst men inured to scenes of misery, utter
strangers to feelings of pity or commiseration, yet in this instance I
and my companions could not fail being much interested at what we saw,
and paused with a sort of respect for the grief of these apparently
unfriended strangers, before we ventured to break the silence of our
meeting.
What are you doing here? said I. If you are strangers, and
travellers, why do you not go into the village?
If you have the feelings of a man, said the youth, give me help, for
the love of God! Should you be sent to seize us by the serdar, still
help me to save this poor creature who is dying. I have no resistance to
offer; but pray save her.
Who are you? said I. The serdar has given us no orders concerning
you. Where do you come from? Whither going?
Our story is long and melancholy, said the young man: if you will
help me to convey this poor suffering girl where she may be taken care
of, I will relate everything that has happened to us. She may recover
with good and kind usage: she is wounded, but I trust not mortally,
and with quiet may recover. Thanks to Heaven, you are not one of the
serdars officers! I entreat you to befriend me, and my lamentable tale
may perhaps induce you to take us under your protection.
This appeal to my feelings was unnecessary: the countenance and
appearance of the youth had excited great interest in my breast, and
I immediately lent myself to his wishes, telling him that we would,
without delay, convey his sick friend to the village, and then, having
heard his story, settle what to do for him.
She had to this moment said nothing, but gathered her veil round her
with great precaution, now and then uttering low groans, which indicated
pain, and venting the apparent misery of her mind by suppressed sighs.
I ordered one of my followers to dismount from his horse; we placed
her upon it, and immediately proceeded to the village, where, having
inspected the interior of several houses, I pitched upon that which
afforded the best accommodation, and whose owner appeared obliging and
humane; there we deposited her, giving directions that she should be
nursed with the greatest care. An old woman of the village, who had the
reputation of skill in curing wounds and bruises, was sent for, and she
undertook her cure. I learnt from the youth that he and his companion
were Armenians; and as the inhabitants of Ashtarek were of the same
persuasion, they very soon understood each other, and the poor sufferer
felt that she could not have fallen into better hands.
[Illustration: An explosion took place in the very room. 18.jpg]