The conclusion--Misfortune seems to take leave of Hajji Baba, who
returns to his native city a greater man than when he first left.
The negotiations with the infidels were now about being closed; and it
was agreed, in order to strengthen the bonds of friendship between the
two, that an embassy on the part of the Shah should forthwith be sent to
the king of England.
The experience of each succeeding day convinced me of the influence
I had acquired over the mind of the grand vizier; and the event just
recorded was the means of showing me to what extent he depended upon my
services and zeal. The day after the treaty with England was signed, he
called me into his private apartment, and spoke to me in the following
manner:--
Hajji, said he, give me your ear. I have things of importance to
impart, and as I look upon you as one exclusively mine, I am sure that
you will listen to them with becoming attention.
I was proceeding to make the necessary protestations of my entire
devotedness, when he stopped me, and proceeded thus:--
Well or ill, our business with the English ambassador is at length
concluded, and the Shah has ceded to his wishes of sending an ambassador
to England in return. Now, you know the Persians as well as I, how they
detest leaving their own country, and the difficulty I shall find in
selecting a man to devote himself to this service. I have one in my
eye, whom I wish to send above every other; and as it is of the utmost
importance to me that he should be removed for the present from Persia,
and particularly from the presence of the Centre of the Universe, I
require that you use your best endeavours to persuade his acceptance of
the appointment.
I immediately felt assured that he could mean no other than me, although
I did not see what reason he could have for removing me from the
presence of the king; and elated by so bright a prospect of sudden
elevation to rank and honours, I sprung towards him, and seizing his
hand with fervour to kiss, I exclaimed, The least of your slaves will
always prove to be the most faithful of your servants: speak, and you
will always find me ready, even to death.
That is well spoken, said he, with great composure, and now listen to
me. The man I allude to is Mirza Firouz (here my countenance fell, and
I drawled out in answer a long _belli_, yes). The truth is, I have
lately discovered that his influence with the Shah has been considerably
upon the increase. He possesses such great volubility of speech, and
such vast command of language,--he flatters so intensely, and lies so
profoundly,--that the king is more amused by him than by any other man
of his court. Who knows how far he may go? Besides, I am assured that
secretly he is my most bitter enemy, whilst openly he affects to be my
most devoted of servants; and although to this day I have never for a
moment dreaded the hatred or the intrigues of any one, yet I cannot but
own, that, in this instance, I am not without my fears. By sending him
among the infidels, as the Shahs representative, I at once cut off the
source of my uneasiness; and once let him be gone, I will so arrange
matters, that even should he return successful from his mission (which,
please God, he never may!) he shall never acquire the influence over the
Shah which he is now attempting to establish.
I agreed to all he said with hesitation; and was losing myself in the
reflection how I could possibly turn this piece of confidence to my own
advantage, when the vizier accosted me again, and said:--
I have only let you into one part of my scheme: the second object is,
that you, Hajji, should accompany the ambassador in the capacity of his
first mirza, or chief secretary. You, who are my friend and confidant,
who know all my wishes, and who have an intimate knowledge of all that
has occurred since the arrival of the infidels, you are precisely the
man to fill this situation, and you will render me the greatest of
services by accepting my proposal.
However delighted I might have been at the prospect of becoming the
chief of an embassy, yet when I was offered the inferior appointment,
my feelings were very different. I felt that in quitting the situation I
now enjoyed, I should leave the high road to preferment, to get into one
of its crooked lanes. Besides, I strongly participated in the national
antipathy, the horror of leaving ones country, and particularly dreaded
the idea of going to sea; and when I came to reflect that the country
to which I was likely to be sent was unknown land,--a land situated in
eternal darkness, beyond the regions of the sun, and whose inhabitants
were an unclean and unbelieving race,--I drew back from the viziers
offer with the fear of one who had the gulf of perdition placed before
him.
The answer I made to the prime minister was by a string of cold assents,
such as constantly hang on every Persians lips, whatever may be his
real feelings. I said, By my eyes; I am your servant; my ear is in your
hand; whatever you ordain I am bound to obey; and then remained mute as
a stone.
The vizier easily discovered what passed within me, and said, If you
dislike my offer, you are your own master, and another may easily be
found to accept it. I have your advantage in view as well as my own.
In the first place, you should immediately proceed to Ispahan, as
the Shahs deputy, to collect a considerable portion of the presents
intended to be sent by our court to the King of England, and which must
be levied upon the inhabitants of that city. You would then have an
opportunity of enriching yourself.
I did not let the vizier proceed further. The temptation of returning to
my native place in such a character, clothed with such powers, was
too great to be withstood, and in a very altered tone I immediately
exclaimed, with great earnestness:--
By the salt of your highness, by your death, and by the beard of the
Shah, I am ready to go. No other word need be said,--I will go wherever
you command, were it even to fetch the father of all the Franks from the
inmost chambers of the world below.
Be it so, said the vizier; and as the first step towards it, go at
once to Mirza Firouz, flatter and assure him that he is the only man
in Persia fit to be sent upon such an embassy, and persuade him of the
advantages that will accrue to him. Honour, riches, the goodwill of the
Shah, and my protection all will abound; and at his return, God best
knows to what heights he may not ascend. Throw out hints that some
other man, some rival, whom you may discover, has been talked of for the
situation, and you will see how easily he will swallow the bait. Go, and
Allah be with you!
I left his presence scarcely knowing whether I soared in the heavens,
or trod on the earth. What, said I to myself, shall I then attain
the summit of all earthly happiness,--shall my long past prognostics at
length be fulfilled,--and shall I indeed enter my native place, clothed
with the kalaât of honour, armed with the hand of power, and mounted
upon the steed of splendour? Let those who once scorned Hajji Baba, the
barbers son, now beware, for they will have to deal with the Shahs
deputy. Let those crowns, which once submitted to my razor, now be
prostrate, for he who can cut the head off is at hand. Ye that have
deprived me of my inheritance tremble, for the power of making you
restore it is mine.
Indulging in such like feelings, I am aware that I strutted along the
street with a swell and dignity of manner which must have surprised
every one who saw me. I could think of nothing save my approaching
honours; and my mind was riveted by the one idea of seeing myself
mounted on a finely caparisoned horse, adorned by a gold chain round its
neck, and a silver tassel under its throat, preceded by my led horses,
and my running footmen, and greeted by a deputation from the governor of
the city, to welcome my arrival in my native place.
However, I proceeded to the house of Mirza Firouz, whom I found prepared
to converse on the subject of the embassy, because the English elchi
had already made proposals to him to the same effect as those which the
grand vizier intended to make. Although I had attached myself almost
exclusively to the service of the prime minister, yet I persevered in my
friendship with the intended ambassador, who was glad to hear I was to
accompany him. We talked long upon our future plans, as well as past
adventures, and when, roaring with laughter, he asked whether I should
now endeavour to regain possession of my faithless Shekerleb, I slipped
away, not over-pleased to have that event of my life recalled to my
recollection.
The next day, the Shah announced at the public audience his intention
of sending Mirza Firouz to England as his representative, and the grand
vizier ordered me to be in readiness to proceed to Ispahan, as soon as
the proper firmans necessary to arm me with power should be prepared.
I will not tire the reader with a description of the numerous details of
my preparatives for this expedition. He would sicken and I should blush
at my vanity. It is sufficient to say that I travelled to Ispahan with
all the parade of a man of consequence; and that I entered my native
city with feelings that none but a Persian, bred and born in the
cravings of ambition, can understand. I found myself at the summit of
what, in my eyes, was perfect human bliss. Misfortune seemed to have
taken its leave, and everything informed me that a new chapter in the
book of my life was about to open. Hajji Baba, the barbers son, entered
his native place as Mirza Hajji Baba, the Shahs deputy. Need I say
more?
And here, gentle Reader! the humble translator of the Adventures of
Hajji Baba presumes to address you, and profiting by the hint afforded
him by the Persian story-tellers, stops his narrative, makes his bow,
and says, Give me encouragement, and I will tell you more. You shall
be informed how Hajji Baba accompanied a great ambassador to England,
of their adventures by sea and land, of all he saw, and all he remarked,
and of what happened to him on his return to Persia. But he begs to
add, should he find, like Hajjis friend the third dervish, he has not
yet acquired the art of leading on the attention of the curious, he will
never venture to appear again before the public until he has gained the
necessary experience to ensure success. And so he very humbly takes his
leave.
P.P.
THE END
FOOTNOTES.
[Footnote 1: It is perhaps almost needless to remind the reader, that
the Mussulmans are divided into two inimical sects; viz. _suni_ and
_shiah_; and that the Turks are of the former, and the Persians of the
latter, persuasion. The Sunies hold, that Omar, Osman and Abubekr, were
the lawful successors of Mohamed. The Shiahs assert that they were
usurpers, and that Ali, his son-in-law, was the next in succession.]
[Footnote 2: This is the Persian pipe, made upon the principle of the
Indian hookah.]
[Footnote 3: Officers whose duties are to find quarters for the
pilgrims, establish the prices of provisions, make arrangements for
their supply, regulate the hours of march, settle disputes, announce the
time of prayer, etc.]
[Footnote 4: This takes place in the spring, when the sun enters Aries,
and is called the No Ruz, or the new day. The festival is not of
Mohamedan origin, and dates from very remote antiquity.]
[Footnote 5: By heel ropes is meant those fastenings which are used to
secures horses in the East.]
[Footnote 6: The Turcomans, as well as the Turks, their descendants, are
of the Suni persuasion: with them green is a sacred colour; but it is
not so among the Shiahs.]
[Footnote 7: The word _Sultan_, which in Europe is generally used to
designate the sovereign of Turkey, among the Tartars, Turcomans, etc.,
means captain or chief, and is given frequently to subalterns, as well
as to those of higher rank.]
[Footnote 8: Banou implies a female head or chief; thus in the _Arabian
Nights_, _Paribanou_, or more properly _Peribanou_ means the chief of
the fairies. The King of Persia's principal wife is styled _Banou
Harem_, chief of the harem.]
[Footnote 9: All classes of Mohamedans shave the crown of the head. In
Persia two patches of hair are left behind each ear by way of curls. In
Turkey, a tuft is left on the very summit of the head.]
[Footnote 10: The Turks differ materially from the Persians in their
tastes for women, the one admiring corpulency, whilst the latter show
greater refinement, and esteem those forms which are mostly prized in
Europe.]
[Footnote 11: The races that take place among the Turcomans and the
Persians are intended to try the _bottom_, rather than the actual speed
of their horses.]
[Footnote 12: The bread here alluded to is baked on small and convex
iron plates, and when prepared is about the thickness of brown paper.]
[Footnote 13: Rustam is the fabulous hero of Persian history, so much
celebrated in the _Shah Nameh_ as a paragon of strength and courage. His
duel with Asfendiar, which lasted two whole days, is the theme of
Persian romance.]
[Footnote 14: A parasang is equivalent to about three and a half
geographical miles.]
[Footnote 15: A full-equipped horseman in the East generally carries
with him an iron peg, to which is affixed a rope terminated by a noose,
with which he pickets his horse wherever he may alight. The rope is
buttoned to the fore-leg, whilst the peg is driven into the ground with
a stone.]
[Footnote 16: A tomaun is the principal gold coin of Persia, worth about
14s.]
[Footnote 17: The dinar is the smallest denomination of money in
Persia.]
[Footnote 18: Twenty-four grains make one miscal.]
[Footnote 19: The loves of these personages have been treated by various
Oriental writers. Majnoun is looked upon as the model of a lover, and
Leilah as the most beautiful and perfect of her sex.]
[Footnote 20: In sketching the history of the poet Asker, the author has
attempted to record part of the life of the late Fatteh Ali Khan, poet-
laureate to the Shah, a most ingenious and amiable man, well known to
the English who were at Tehran in the years 1812 and 1813.]
[Footnote 21: Seizing the skirt of a man in authority, or the heel ropes
of his horses in the stable, are as great protection to a culprit in
Persia as the precincts of a church are in Roman Catholic countries.]
[Footnote 22: It is no uncommon circumstance in Persia to find men of
the lowest estate well versed in their poets. The Persians are eminently
a poetical people.]
[Footnote 23: The luties are privileged buffoons, usually keeping
monkeys, bears, and other animals.]
[Footnote 24: A ghauz is a small copper coin.]
[Footnote 25: A beard is held so sacred in the East, that every hair
which grows upon a Mohamedan's chin is protected from molestation by a
heavy fine.]
[Footnote 26: The mohteshib is an officer who perambulates the city, and
examines weights and measures, and qualities of provisions.]
[Footnote 27: Twenty shahies make the groush, or piastre, which is worth
about two shillings British.]
[Footnote 28: The felek is a long pole, with a noose in the middle,
through which the feet of him who is to be bastinadoed are passed,
whilst its extremities are held up by two men for the two others who
strike.]
[Footnote 29: Saadi, Hafiz, and the Koran, are the three books to which
the Persians most willingly refer for this mode of divination. Its
resemblance to that of the Sortes Virgilianoe must occur to every
reader.]
[Footnote 30: A Persian letter is folded up like a lady's thread paper,
and fastened in the middle by a slip of adhesive paper, which is
moistened with the tongue, and then stamped with the seal of the writer.
Thus, letters are frequently opened and closed without detection.]
[Footnote 31: The stirrup, which is a sort of iron shovel, sharp at the
edge, in Persia as well as in Turkey, is used by way of spur.]
[Footnote 32: The Persians have a particular aversion to horses which
have white legs on one side, which they call _chup_; and they also very
much undervalue a horse that has the _ableh_, which consists of white
leprous marks on its nose, round the eyes, and under the tail.]
[Footnote 33: The chenar tree is a species of sycamore.]
[Footnote 34: This alludes to tapping in cases of dropsy,--an operation
unknown among the Persians until our surgeons taught it them.]
[Footnote 35: Locman is the most celebrated of the Eastern sages, and is
supposed by some to be the same as Aesop. The title usually given to a
doctor in Persia is Locman al zeman, the Locman of his day.]
[Footnote 36: _Isauvi_, a follower of Jesus.]
[Footnote 37: This is the most approved form of speech among well-
educated Persians whenever any allusion to the mysteries of the harem is
intended.]
[Footnote 38: A piastre is about two shillings.]
[Footnote 39: This dye is used throughout the whole of Asia, and
produces a strong orange or auburn colour. The Persians dye the whole of
their hands as far as the wrist with it, and also the soles of their
feet. The Turks more commonly only tinge the nails; both use it for the
hair.]
[Footnote 40: The Yezeedies are a tribe of the Curds, who are said to
worship the devil.]
[Footnote 41: The Persians give the most magnificent names to their
negro slaves. Thus Nur Jehan means "light of the world."]
[Footnote 42: Khanum is the title usually given to a Persian lady, and
is equivalent to "madam."]
[Footnote 43: The priest is so called who invites the Mohamedans to
prayers from the minaret, or from the roof of the mosque.]
[Footnote 44: This no doubt relates to certain mysterious and obscene
customs which are said to be practised among the Yezeedies, at the
village of Kerrund, in the Curdistan, and peculiar to the tribe of
Nusiri, commonly called Chiragh Kush, or lamp extinguishers.
Antiquarians pretend in them to trace a resemblance to the abominable
worship of Venus, as practised by the Babylonians, and recorded in
Herodotus, book i. sect. cxcix.]
[Footnote 45: The _cherkajis_ (literally wheelers about) in Oriental
armies are skirmishers, who are thrown out from the main body to engage
in the fight, and are generally esteemed the most expert horsemen and
the best soldiers.]
[Footnote 46: The point to which the Mohamedans turn in prayer.]
[Footnote 47: Light of the world. The Persians are apt to give high-
sounding names to their slaves, and particularly to the guardians of
their women.]
[Footnote 48: Aga is used in the sense of master.]
[Footnote 49: The surme is a collyrium.]
[Footnote 50: The sham is, in truth, the evening meal, and is served up
at sunset.]
[Footnote 51: The ceremony of the _pahendaz_ consists in spreading rich
stuffs for the king to walk upon.]
[Footnote 52: This is an ancient Persian custom, and is supposed to
secure good fortune--sweetness, and consequently sugar, being an emblem
of felicity.]
[Footnote 53: The _musnud_, in Eastern acceptation, is, in fact, the
throne; but on occasions such as the one here described the mode of
making a musnud is to double up a thick carpet, by which means there is
only room for one person to be seated upon it.]
[Footnote 54: Catherine II. is so styled by the Persians.]
[Footnote 55: Kizzil Bash, or Red Head, is a sort of nickname given from
old times to the Persians.]
[Footnote 56: The inner, or women's apartment.]
[Footnote 57: _Mumiai_ and _pahzer_ are antidotes in which the Persians
have great faith. Our bezoar is evidently a corruption of pahzer.]
[Footnote 58: This is a Persian idiom, and is intended to denote the
fascinations of a brunette.]
[Footnote 59: The _jika_ is an upright ornament worn in front of the
crown, and is an insignia of royalty.]
[Footnote 60: Roast meat.]
[Footnote 61: So Hippocrates is called in Persia.]
[Footnote 62: The gate of the palace, where public business is
transacted.]
[Footnote 63: Perhaps the description of this personage will bring to
the recollection of those who were in Persia in the years 1813 and 1814
the character of the nasakchi bashi of that day.]
[Footnote 64: Luti here is used in the sense of polisson.]
[Footnote 65: Celebrated heroes in the _Shah Nameh_, a book which is
believed, by the present Persians, to contain their ancient history.]
[Footnote 66: Strict Mussulmans hold silk unclean.]
[Footnote 67: In the direction of Mecca.]
[Footnote 68: The third month in the Arabic calendar.]
[Footnote 69: A ghez is not quite a yard.]
[Footnote 70: _Shir bi pir_--a lion without a saint, is a favourite
Persian epithet, when applied to a desperado, a fellow without
compassion.]
[Footnote 72: A maun is seven pounds and a half; a miscal, twenty-four
grains.]
[Footnote 73: The Shah's great diamond, which he wears in one of his
armlets, is called the _koh nur_, or the mountain of light.]
[Footnote 74: The camel tie is made by fastening the lower and upper
limb of one of the forelegs together, which is done to prevent an unruly
animal from straying from the pasture ground.]
[Footnote 75: It is supposed that the instruments here alluded to were
hand-grenades.]
[Footnote 76: Hassan Khan Serdan, the governor of Erivan, was said to
have attacked Armenian villages in the manner here described, by
throwing grenades into the houses from the orifice at the top.]
[Footnote 77: This is a circumstance which is said to have really
happened.]
[Footnote 78: I.e. Mecca, to which all Mohamedans turn in their
prayers.]
[Footnote 79: Khon-khor, literally "blood-drinker"; so the Sultan of
Roum, or Turkey, is styled in Persia.]
[Footnote 80: The kabob shops at Constantinople are eating-houses,
where, at a moment's notice, a dish of roast meat, and small bits of
meat done on skewers, are served up to whoever asks for them.]
[Footnote 81: So the Persians call Freemasons, about whom they are very
inquisitive.]
[Footnote 82: Sheikh Attar and Jelaledin Rumi are the two great doctors
of the Sufies.]
[Footnote 83: A mollah who is a schoolmaster is also styled ahkon.]
[Footnote 84: It is a popular belief that near the city of Kashan there
exists a well of fabulous depth, at the bottom of which are found
enchanted groves and gardens.]
[Footnote 85: A real is about two shillings--eight reals one tomaun.]
[Footnote 86: Peder sukhteh is the most common term of abuse in a
Persian's mouth. It implies "one whose father is burning in eternal
fires."
[Footnote 87: Quarantine, we presume, is meant here.]
[Footnote 88: The word rishweh, "bribery," is also used for "manure" in
agriculture.]
Printed by R.& R. CLARK, Edinburgh