commenced a display of fire-works on a larger scale than any that I
recollect to have seen in Europe. In the first place, the director of
the works caused to be thrown into the fountain before us a variety of
fires, which were fixed on square flat boards, and which bursting into
the most splendid streams and stars of flame, seemed to put the water
in one entire blaze. He then threw up some beautiful blue lights, and
finished the whole by discharging immense vollies of rockets which had
been fixed in stands, each of twenty rockets, in different parts of
the garden and particularly on the summits of the walls. Each stand
exploded at once; and at one time the greater part of all the rockets
were in the air at the same moment, and produced an effect grand beyond
the powers of description.
At the end of this exhibition, a band of choice musicians and
songsters was introduced into the particular apartment where we were
seated. A player on the _kamouncha_ really drew forth notes, which
might have done credit to the better instruments of the West: and
the elastic manner with which he passed his bow across the strings,
convinced me that he himself would have been an accomplished performer
even among those of Europe, if his ear had been tutored to the
harmonies and delicacies of our science. The notes of their guitar
corresponded exactly to those of our instrument. Another sung some of
the odes of HAFIZ, accompanied by the _kamouncha_, and in a chorus by
the tamborins.
After this concert, some parts of which were extremely noisy and
some not unpleasant even to our ears, appeared from behind a curtain
a dirty-looking negro, dressed as a _fakeer_ or beggar, with an
artificial hump, and with his face painted white. This character
related facetious stories, threw himself into droll attitudes, and
sung humorous songs. Amongst other things he was a mimic; and, when
he undertook to ridicule the inhabitants of _Ispahan_ he put our
_Shiraz_ audience into ecstacies of delight and laughter. He imitated
the drawling manner of speaking, and the sort of nonchalance so
characteristic of the _Ispahaunees_. The people of _Shiraz_, (who
regard themselves as the prime of Persians, and their language as the
most pure, and their pronunciation as the most correct), are never
so well amused as when the people and the dialect of _Ispahan_ are
ridiculed. Those of _Ispahan_, on the other hand, boast, and with much
reason, of their superior cleverness and learning, though with these
advantages indeed they are said to mix roguery and low cunning. The
exhibition finished by the singing of a boy, the most renowned of the
vocal performers at _Shiraz_, and one of the Prince’s own band. His
powers were great, descending from the very highest to the very lowest
notes; and the tremulations of his voice, in which the great acme of
his art appeared to consist, were continued so long and so violently,
that his face was convulsed with pain and exertion. In order to aid the
modulations, he kept a piece of paper in his hand, with which he did
not cease to fan his mouth. When the concert was over, we collected
our legs under us (which till this time we had kept extended at ease)
to make room for the _sofras_ or table-cloths, which were now spread
before us. On these were first placed trays of sweet viands, light
sugared cakes, and sherbet of various descriptions. After these, dishes
of plain rice were put, each before two guests; then _pillaus_, and
after them a succession and variety, which would have sufficed ten
companies of our number. On a very moderate calculation there were
two hundred dishes, exclusive of the sherbets. All these were served
up in bowls and dishes of fine china; and in the bowls of sherbet
were placed the long spoons made of pear-tree, (which I mentioned on
a former occasion), and each of which contained about the measure of
six common table-spoons, and with these every guest helped himself.
The Persians bent themselves down to the dishes, and ate in general
most heartily and indiscriminately of every thing sweet and sour, meat
and fish, fruit and vegetable. They are very fond of ice, which they
eat constantly, and in great quantities, a taste which becomes almost
necessary to qualify the sweetmeats which they devour so profusely. The
Minister NASR OALLAH KHAN had a bowl of common ice constantly before
him, which he kept eating when the other dishes were carried away. They
are equally fond of spices, and of every other stimulant; and highly
recommended one of their sherbets, a composition of sugar, cinnamon,
and other strong ingredients. As the Envoy sat next to the Minister,
and I next to the Envoy, we very frequently shared the marks of his
peculiar attention and politeness, which consisted in large handfuls
of certain favourite dishes. These he tore off by main strength, and
put before us; sometimes a full grasp of lamb mixed with a sauce of
prunes, pistachio-nuts, and raisins; at another time, a whole partridge
disguised by a rich brown sauce; and then, with the same hand, he
scooped out a bit of melon, which he gave into our palms, or a great
piece of omelette thickly swimming in fat ingredients. The dishes lie
promiscuously before the guests, who all eat without any particular
notice of one another. The silence, indeed, with which the whole is
transacted is one of the most agreeable circumstances of a Persian
feast. There is no rattle of plates and knives and forks, no confusion
of lacquies, no drinking of healths, no disturbance of carving,
scarcely a word is spoken, and all are intent on the business before
them. Their feasts are soon over; and, although it appears difficult to
collect such an immense number of dishes, and to take them away again
without much confusion and much time, yet all is so well regulated that
every thing disappears as if by magic. The lacquies bring the dishes in
long trays called _conchas_, which are discharged in order, and which
are again taken up and carried away with equal facility. When the whole
is cleared, and the cloths rolled up, ewers and basins are brought in,
and every one washes his hand and mouth. Until the water is presented
it is ridiculous enough to see the right hand of every person (which
is covered with the complicated fragments of all the dishes) placed
in a certain position over his left arm: there is a fashion even in
this. The whole entertainment was now over, and we took our leaves
and returned home. Such a fête costs a very considerable sum. Besides
ourselves, all the Envoy’s numerous servants, and all the privates
of his body guard were invited to it, and eat and drank in different
apartments. The same dinner which had been put before us was afterwards
carried to them, and I understand that, even in the common domestic
life of a Persian, the profusion which is exhibited on his table
surprises the European stranger; and is explained only by the necessity
of feeding his numerous household, to whom all his dishes are passed,
after he has satisfied his own appetite.
5th. As we were at dinner on the following day, one of the Prince’s own
_feroshes_ brought a dish composed of eggs, &c. made up into a species
of omelette, with two small bowls of sherbet, and a plate of powdered
spices, which he announced as a present from the Prince himself. These
sort of attentions are frequent between friends in Persia, and, at the
moment of dinner, it seems that the Prince, who is particularly fond of
the dish, was anxious that the Envoy also should partake of it; though
at the time of receiving it, the Envoy suspected, that it might have
been the trick of some one who calculated on a more valuable largess in
return.
6th. A _zeeafet_ or entertainment was given this evening to the Envoy
by MIRZA ZAIN LABADEEN, Chief Secretary and Private Minister to the
Prince. This was so nearly a repetition of the former display, that any
description may well be spared. One thing indeed may be remarked; as
soon as the Prime Minister came into the room, he took the direction
of the feast upon himself; and the master of the house, the real
donor, sunk into the character of a guest. This is the case wherever
the Minister goes, as he is supposed to be the master of every thing,
and to preside in every place, next after the Prince his own immediate
superior.
On the 7th, JAFFER ALI KHAN, (the English Agent at _Shiraz_) Mr. BRUCE
and I, went by the Envoy’s order to the Minister, to propose certain
measures. We were introduced into the _Bagh-a-Vakeel_, a garden
belonging to the Prince, and situated contiguous to his palace in the
town. In the centre is a pleasure house called _Koola-frangee_, (and
built on the model of the one of the same name in the _Bagh-a-Jehan
Nemah_, on the outside of the city gates.) Here we conferred with the
Minister, and as, in quitting him, we were going out of the garden, we
chanced to meet the Prince himself, who asked us the common questions
of civility, and passed on. In the evening, the Prince invited the
Envoy to meet him on horseback at the _Maidan_, and expressed a wish
to see the troop of cavalry go through some of its exercises and
evolutions. We accordingly proceeded, and, when we perceived the
Prince, we all dismounted from our horses for a moment, and when he
waved his hand, we all mounted again, and rode close up to him. His
manners and appearance were most elegant and prepossessing. He was
dressed most richly: his outer coat was of blue velvet, which fitted
tight to his shape; on the shoulders, front pocket, and skirts, was an
embroidery of pearl, occasionally (in the different terminations of a
point or angle,) enlivened with a ruby, an emerald, or a topaz. Under
this was a waistcoat of pearl; and here and there, hanging in a sort of
studied negligence, were strings of fine pearl. A dagger, at the head
of which blazed a large diamond, was in his girdle. The bridle of his
horse was inlaid in every part of the head with precious stones; and a
large silver tassel hung under the jaws. The Prince was altogether a
very interesting figure.
Cornet WILLOCK paraded his troop much to the Prince’s satisfaction, and
in the interval his own men ran their horses up and down the course,
firing their muskets in various dextrous ways. Unfortunately one of his
cavaliers met with a very dangerous fall.
ISMAEL BEG, the young Georgian favourite, also shewed off his horse.
He carried the Prince’s bow and arrows, which were placed on each side
of him, in quivers covered with black velvet and thickly studded with
pearls and precious stones. After this, the Prince ordered his Russian
prisoners, thirty in number, to draw up and go through their exercise.
These poor fellows, commanded by their officer (who goes by the name
of _Rooss Khan_, or Russian Khan), went through every thing that they
could do, and even formed a hollow square. To all this the Persians
give the name of _bazee_ or play. NASR OALLAH KHAN, the Minister, kept
at a respectful distance, whilst the rest of the nobles and chief
men were stationed in a crowd much further off. The Prince remained
an isolated and unsocial being, never speaking but to command, never
spoken to but to feel the servitude of others.
It is always the custom for the King and Princes to order their
visitors away, which they do, either by a nod of the head or a wave of
the hand. We received this kind of licence to depart, and returned to
town in the order in which we came out.
8th. The last and most splendid entertainment was given this evening
to the Envoy by our _Mehmandar_, MAHOMED ZEKY KHAN. His own house was
not large enough to contain us and our numerous attendants; he received
therefore the Prince’s permission to give it in that of AGA BESHEER,
the Queen’s head Eunuch. The apartment, into which we were introduced,
was still more elegant than any which we had yet seen, and if it could
have been transported to England, would probably have excited universal
admiration, and a new taste in the interior decoration of rooms. Like
almost all the public rooms or _dewan khonéh_ of a Persian house, it
was in shape a parallelogram, with a recess formed by a Saracenic
arch, in the centre of the superior line of the figure. The ground
of the wall was of a beautiful varnished white, and richly painted
in gold in ornaments of the most neat and ingenious composition. The
entablature, if it may be so called, was inlaid glass placed in angular
and prismatic positions, which reflected a variety of beautiful lights
and colours. The ceiling was all of the same composition. In the arched
recess was a chimney piece formed in front by alternate layers of glass
and painting. The whole side fronting the arch was composed of windows,
the frames of which opened from the ground; and, though of clumsy
workmanship compared with frames in England, yet aided by the richness
of the painted glass intermixed with the gilding of the woodwork, they
filled up the space splendidly and symmetrically.
This fête corresponded in all its parts with the others that I have
described; except that there was a greater variety of entertainments.
Besides the rope-dancer, water-spouter, dancing boys, and fire-eater,
we had an exhibition of wrestlers, a combat of rams, and a sanguinary
scene of a lion killing an ox. The wrestling was opened by two dwarfs,
about three feet and a half in height: one with a beard descending
to his girdle, with deformed arms and hands, but with strong and
muscular legs. The other, with bad legs, but with regular and well
shaped arms. Both had the appearance of those animals represented in
mythological pictures as satyrs, or perhaps of the _Asmodeus_ of LE
SAGE. The figure with the beard was the victor, and fairly tossed his
antagonist into an adjoining basin of water. The professional wrestlers
succeeded; the hero of whom threw and discomfited eight others, in most
rapid succession. In this the combat of rams resembled that of the
wrestlers: one bold and superb ram, belonging to the Prince, remained
the undisputed master of the field, for although a great number of his
kind were brought to meet him, none dared to face him after the first
butt.
The scene of blood next begun. A poor solitary half-grown ox was then
produced, and had not long awaited his fate, when a young lion was
conducted before us by a man, who led him with a rope by the neck. For
some time he seated himself by the wall regardless of the feast before
him. At length, urged by the cries of his keepers, and by the sight of
the ox, which was taken close to him, he made a spring and seized his
victim on the back. The poor brute made some efforts to get loose, but
the lion kept fast hold, until he was dragged away by his keepers. Both
were again brought before us, when the ox fell under a second attack
of the lion. An order was at length given to cut the throat of the ox,
when the lion finished his repast by drinking heartily of his blood. A
very small cub of a lion, not larger than a water-spaniel was carried
out, and the vigour with which he attacked the ox, was quite amusing.
He fed upon him, after he was dead, with a relish which showed how
truly carniverous were his young propensities. This bloody scene was
pleasing to the Persian spectators in general, although I thought that
I perceived some who sympathized with us for the helplessness of the ox.
In the course of the morning the Prince’s present to the Mission was
brought by ISMAEL BEG. It consisted of a sword and two horses to the
Envoy, and to each of the gentlemen _kalaats_, or dresses of gold
brocade, a sash, and a shawl. Our appearance, when we wore our new
dresses, which had not been made on purpose for us, was probably very
ridiculous. We put the rich brocade Persian vest over our English
clothes, having only taken off our coats: then wound the brocade
sash round our waists, and lastly, put our shawls either over our
shoulders, or fastened them into our cocked hats. This, with our red
cloth stockings and green high-heeled shoes, completed the adjustment,
in which we appeared before the Prince. The morning of the 9th had
been fixed for our parting visit; dressed in these gifts with which he
had honoured us, we were introduced to the Prince in a room called
the private audience, in the _Bagh-a-Vakeel_. On walking through the
garden we met one of his brothers, a little fellow about six years old,
and who could just totter under the weight of the brocades, furs, and
shawls with which he was hugely encumbered. Several Khans and men of
consequence were standing before him, in the same attitudes of respect
and humility, as they did before his elder brother, and attending
to all his little orders and whims, with as much obsequiousness, as
they would have shewn to a full-grown sovereign. It was singular
that no notice was taken of an inadvertence which we committed: the
dresses which we had received were honours to which a Persian looks
forward through his whole life; but as they happened to be extremely
inconvenient to us, we threw them off as soon as we left the Prince’s
presence. An Englishman just invested with an Order, would hardly so
throw off the ribband at the gate of St. James’s. In strictness, the
_kalaat_ of Persia should be worn three days, as we afterwards learnt,
when again we had received a similar distinction at _Teheran_, and
treated it with similar disrespect.
Before we left _Shiraz_, the merchants were all displeased with the
Envoy, for they had been accustomed in former missions to sell immense
quantities of their goods at exorbitant prices; while now all their
offers were refused, as most of the presents which were given by
Sir HARFORD in our progress, were made in coin. The amount of those
presents indeed was not always satisfactory to the receivers.
CHAP. VII.
SHIRAZ TO PERSEPOLIS.
DEPARTURE FROM SHIRAZ--ZERGOON--BEND-EMIR, THE ANCIENT
ARAXES--PLAIN OF MERDASHT--TOMBS AND SCULPTURES OF NAKSHI
RUSTAM--FIRE-TEMPLES--PERSEPOLIS--GENERAL VIEW OF THE
WHOLE--PARTICULAR DESCRIPTION; STAIRCASE; PORTALS; HALL OF
COLUMNS--SCULPTURES AT NAKSHI RADJAB--POPULAR TRADITIONS.
At eleven o’clock on the morning of the 13th, the Envoy recommenced
his journey towards _Teheran_. The Prime Minister, and the Chief
Secretary, MAHOMED HASSAN KHAN (the commander of the _Karaguzloo_
tribe), the Prince’s Lord Chamberlain, and MAHOMED ZEKY KHAN, our
former _Mehmandar_, with ABDULLA KHAN, who had succeeded to that office
_pro tempore_, accompanied us about the distance of a mile from _Tengui
Ali Acbar_, and then all took their formal leave, except our late and
present _Mehmandars_.
At the distance of a quarter of a mile beyond the gate of the pass
departing from _Shiraz_, one of the most compact of distant views
presented itself. As we saw it from an eminence, the fore-ground was
formed by the two bold acclivities, (which close into the pass and are
connected by the gate), and the interval in the distance is filled up
by part of _Shiraz_, the campagna and the mountains in the horizon.
As our tents and baggage were still considerably behind us, we stopt
and drank coffee at a hut, where is a reservoir of ice constructed by
the Prince on a plan which to us seemed simple and good. A deep trench
of about fifty paces in length, and fifteen in breadth, is cut into
the ground; other dikes are cut transversely, which, as they fill with
water, are emptied into the reservoir. When this first layer of water
is congealed, another draught is made from the dikes, and thus the ice
is accumulated. A wall is built the whole length of the reservoir to
screen the ice from the south wind which is here the hottest. We staid
here about two hours, in which time Captain SUTHERLAND ascended the
highest point of the mountains to the west, and returned with the most
brilliant account of the view: _Shiraz_ and its plain were at his feet,
the gardens and the whole delineation of the mountains and surrounding
lands, laid out as if on a map.
After we had quitted our late _Mehmandars_ and their company, and had
been joined by their successor MAHOMED KHAN, we begun to wind in the
hills, and rode by the banks of the little stream of _Rocknabad_, until
we came to a station of _Rahdars_, which is called _Kalaat Poshoon_,
from its being the spot where the Prince puts on the _kalaats_, with
which the King is frequently pleased to honour him. The country through
which we passed, is hilly and open; scarcely a shrub enlivens the
brown mountains, which here and there are varied by the capriciousness
of their stratification into forms as extravagant as they are
inhospitable. The source of the _Rocknabad_ is about twelve miles from
_Shiraz_, into which its waters find their way, after meandering in a
variety of directions in their progress towards it. There was nothing
particularly interesting in the march of the day. Large flocks of
pigeons now and then flew over our heads, and the road here and there
was occasionally strewed with ruined castles and _caravanserais_,
which, though they bore a name, yet being uninhabited, are no longer
worthy to be marked in the topographical history of Persia. After we
had received the salute of a few miserable fusileers, had heard the
recitative verses of one or two poor _Mollahs_, and had trampled over
two or three bottles of sugar-candy, we arrived at our encampment at
_Zergoon_.
_Zergoon_, when first seen, looks a respectable place: a mud wall
surrounds it; but, as it was broken down in many places, it was not
difficult to observe that the greater part of the houses within were
mere shells, and their inhabitants proportionably wretched. It is
situated close at the foot of a range of mountains at the southern
extremity of a small plain, which is of the finest soil, and towards
the town not ill cultivated. We calculated our march to have been
thirteen miles from our tents at the _Bagh-a-Vakeel_ at _Shiraz_, and
on an average our route lay North-East.
The night was interrupted by the disputes of the mule-drivers and the
bustle of _feroshes_. We quitted _Zergoon_ at nine o’clock, and, at
the distance of about two miles, entered into the plain of the same
name (confounded with that of _Merdasht_) of a most delightful soil and
partially cultivated, which extends near fifteen miles East and West.
We proceeded three miles further, and crossing the river _Bend-emir_,
entered the real plain of _Merdasht_. The bridge is thrown over the
river immediately behind a projecting foot of the mountains; it is
called the _Pool Khan_, and has (besides two lesser arches, which in
this season were unoccupied by water) two principal arches, and another
of a second size, through which three the river runs. The _Bend-emir_
is the ancient _Araxes_, and runs in a general direction from North
to South: where we crossed it indeed, it was flowing from N. N. E.
to S. W. It does not fall into the sea at _Cape Jasques_, (now at
least, as has been said) though it still enters _Kerman_. I am told
that it goes to _Corbal_, ten _fursungs_ from _Persepolis_, a large
place in the province of _Kerman_, where its waters are received and
kept up by a very considerable dam called the _Bund Emir_, i. e. the
_Bund Emir Timoor_, or the dam of TAMERLANE.[34] There are several
_Bunds_ at _Corbal_, and in the neighbourhood, each raised by a
King. In the _bolook_ or district of _Corbal_, there is a village
called _Sedeh Nokara Khonéh_, about eight or nine _fursungs_ distant
from _Persepolis_; where, in the common story of Persia, JEMSHEED
kept his royal drums and trumpets: the noise of which, when sounded
there, reached his ears at _Persepolis_. According to the reports,
which we received from the people of the country, the whole plain of
_Merdasht_ for many miles round is covered with interesting monuments
of antiquity, mostly taking their direction to the southward.
[Illustration: _Nakshee Rustam._
_Drawn by James Morier Esq^r._
_Published by Mess^{rs}. Longman, Hurst, Rees, Orme & Brown,
Paternoster Row, May 1, 1811._]
From the bridge to the extremity of the plain may be ten miles. At two
miles from our encampment, near the remains of _Persepolis_, we turned
to the left to visit the ruins and sculptures of _Nakshi Rustam_.
Although they appeared close to us, yet the great variety of the
streams (drains from the _Bend-emir_ and another river) which have been
made to irrigate the country, obliged us to make a circuitous route of
at least four miles.