minuted in my journal; but they involve so many personal considerations
that they could not be fairly published, even if I had not acquired the
information by confidential and official opportunities. I sacrifice,
therefore, but with deep regret the power of doing that justice to
the merits of the British Envoy which the simple narrative, without
one comment, would have afforded. I must content myself with adding,
that Sir HARFORD JONES succeeded in his great object; and concluded a
treaty with Persia (where the French influence had already baffled and
driven away one English agent) by which the French, in their turns,
were expelled, and our influence was restored; at a time when, instead
of co-operation, he experienced only counteraction from the British
Government of India, and encountered all the rivalry of the active and
able emissaries of France.
On another motive I regret the omission of these notes. They would
have characterized, I believe with fidelity, the habits and modes of
thinking of a Persian statesman, and added an amusing document to
the annals of diplomacy. The conferences of the Plenipotentiaries
were carried on at times with the warmest contentions, at other times
interrupted by the loudest laughter on the most indifferent subject.
One night the parties had sat so long, and had talked so much without
producing conviction on either side, that the Plenipotentiaries by
a sort of un-official compact, fell asleep. The Prime Minister and
the _Ameen-ed-Dowlah_ snored aloud in one place, and the Envoy and I
stretched ourselves along in another. Though on the very first night
of the discussions, the parties had separated with a full conviction
that every thing was settled; and though the Prime Minister himself,
laying his hand on the Envoy’s shoulder, had said to him, “You have
already completed what the King of England himself in person could
not have done;” yet the very next conference, they came forwards with
pretensions alike new and extravagant. At the close of that meeting
however, the Chief Secretary was appointed to bring the Treaty written
fair to the Envoy on the following morning. Instead of this, the
Prime Minister sent a large citron, and inquired after the Envoy’s
health. On another occasion, the Persian Plenipotentiaries swore that
every thing should be as the Envoy wished, and instantly wrote out a
corresponding form of Treaty, to which (rather than start a difficulty
about indifferent words) he assented. They were then so anxious that
he should immediately attend them to the King’s Summer Palace to sign,
that they would not give him time to translate it into English: he
however refused to sign a Persian treaty, till the English copy was
ready. They so little expected this refusal, that they had already,
by the King’s desire, sent thirty mule-loads of fruits, sherbets,
and sweetmeats to celebrate the event at the new palace; and were of
course displeased and disappointed. At another time, in the middle of
a very serious conversation, the Prime Minister stopped short, and
asked the Envoy very coolly to tell him the history of the world from
the creation. This was intended as a joke upon one of the Secretaries,
who was then writing the annals of the reign of the present King. On
another occasion, in which the same Minister was deeply and personally
interested, and in which he invoked every thing sacred to attest his
veracity, and convince the Envoy, (now, “by the head of the King;”
then, “by _Mecca_;” then, “by the salt of FATH ALI SHAH”) he turned to
me in a pause of his discourse, and asked if I were married, and begun
some absurd story.
These circumstances, however characteristic of the people, may appear
trifling in themselves, or at least indicative of minds, over which an
European Negociator might easily attain an ascendancy. It is necessary
therefore to premise, that the real difficulties of our situation were
never diminished by any deficiency of address and diplomatic finesse in
the Persian Plenipotentiaries. Every fresh dispatch which the French
received from Europe, while it contributed to raise the spirits and
activity of our rivals themselves, enabled the Persians also to assume
a higher tone of decision between our contending interests, while the
only communications from his own countrymen which Sir HARFORD JONES
received in Persia, were those which would have baffled the hopes and
discouraged the enterprize of almost any other man. In the alternation
of the dispositions of the court of Persia, he retained the same firm
and unbending policy, and when the influence of the French appeared to
be regaining all its preponderance, he made no one concession which he
had not offered in more favourable circumstances, and finally succeeded
in concluding a treaty almost on his own original terms, while the
French were signing every demand which the Persians made.
As a more detailed specimen however of the conduct of the negociation,
I can reserve a portion of the concluding scene.
At length a night was fixed in which the Treaties were to be signed.
The Envoy and I repaired to the house of the _Ameen-ed-Doulah_, where
we found him and his _Nazir_ or Superintendant, the Prime Minister, the
Chief Secretary, and the Persian Agent for English affairs at _Shiraz_.
The conversation after a short time fixed on learned subjects. The
Persians are extremely fond of history and geography, though in general
they are profoundly ignorant of both. The Prime Minister went through
in a breath the whole history of Russia. We then entered on matters of
chronology, which introduced a discussion on the relative antiquity
of particular remains, as _Persepolis_ and _Nakshi Rustam_. The Chief
Secretary, who seemed to have read much Persian history, knew that part
which related to _Shapour_, and mentioned that he had carried his arms
into Syria, and had taken prisoner a Roman Emperor. Yet the subject of
the sculptures at _Nakshi Rustam_ had still escaped their observation;
and they had still, according to the popular belief, substituted
_Rustam_ for _Shapour_, as the hero of those representations. To this
conversation, supper succeeded; as usual it was short.
The Treaties were then brought in, and read and approved. The date was
still wanting. SIR HARFORD JONES desired them to insert the usual form,
commencing, “In witness whereof,” &c. This however the Persians could
not understand, and objected strenuously to the word “witnesses,” who
were never introduced except into a court of justice. At length the
Envoy produced the precedent of treaties signed at Constantinople,
where the form is invariably used. They acquiesced immediately: but
another difficulty succeeded, “Should the year of our Lord precede the
_Hejera_?” The Secretary proposed that in our copy of the Treaty, our
era should stand first, and that the order should be reversed in that
which they were to keep. At last the Minister, who suspected that the
Secretary was inclined to create difficulties, finished every argument
by declaring that “as JESUS CHRIST lived before MAHOMED, there could
be no doubt but that his _tarikh_ should stand first.” The Secretary,
who is esteemed one of the first composers, and one of the best penmen
in Persia, resisted the plainness of the language, which Sir HARFORD
dictated for the insertion of the date, and produced something so
unlike a diplomatic style, and so full of figurative expressions, that
it was rejected totally on our parts. MIRZA SHEFFEEA then took up the
pen, and drew up a simpler formulary, which, with a few emendations,
was admitted. The Secretary was then desired to copy it into the
Treaty; but he seemed indignant to find that a date was only to be
plain matter of fact, and begged hard to make it a little finer. MIRZA
SHEFFEEA however desired him to write as he had written, and this was
at length accomplished with great difficulty. Then came the business
of signing. The Prime Minister, MIRZA SHEFFEEA, first took up the pen,
and put down his own name and that of his brother Plenipotentiary, who
was unable to sign himself. After signing, came sealing. The Secretary
applied the seals, MIRZA SHEFFEEA crying out to him, _Bezun, Bezun_,
or, “strike, strike,” as if he had been striking a bargain in the
_bazar_. In the act of signing and sealing the parties made frequent
exclamations, such as, “God grant the friendship between the two states
may be binding!” “May this prove a fortunate day.” “Let us hope that
nothing may ever break this bond.” To all which every one present
emphatically and repeatedly resounded “_Inch Allah!_ God grant it!”
It had been agreed, that we should severally exchange the Treaties
which each had written. When all was over, the Envoy took up our copy,
and desired the _Mirza_ to take up the other, that a formal exchange
might be made. At this moment circumstances arose which closed the
conference abruptly. The nature of those circumstances called forth all
the dignified firmness of the Envoy, which in their future intercourse
produced the most striking courtesy and attention from the Persian
Ministers. The business was subsequently renewed on the evening of the
15th, and in that meeting the Treaties were finally exchanged.
On the 18th, the Envoy received a letter from an officer of high
distinction at _Tabriz_. It is singular in itself, but it may have a
new interest in the translation, which was made for me by a Persian
(JAFFER ALI KHAN), and which is given in his own unaltered words:
“May you, the high in station, exalted in dignity, clothed with
splendor, the great magnificent in rank, distinguished for friendly
disposition, cream of the nobles of the Christian faith, and the
select among the great of the worshippers of the Messiah. May your
honour increase, and may you be always in safety from the evil world,
and always under the protection of God Almighty. And may He grant you
all the happiness belonging to this world and the next, and (may you)
be ever merry by the blessing of God. I write you as follows:--1st.
I don’t know what complaint I am to make of my bad fortune, that,
notwithstanding the great desire I had to see you, the Creator of
the Universe had brought you to this country at a time when I am not
present there. 2d. I don’t know what excuse to make to you, that while
you are there, owing to my being engaged to the Russian affairs, I
can’t prove myself useful to you in order to please myself. 3d. I
have no remedy, as there are no fine articles at _Aderbigian_ that I
may send you, in order to prove of my regard to you; but the state of
England and Russians are enemies to one another, therefore I employ
my nights and days to do injury to the Russians, which is the only
content I have at present. I hope that, in the course of a short time,
I may be able to send you some Russian heads as rarities, and as a
fine present from me to you, and I hope to be able to meet with some
opportunity to repair to the King’s Court, where I may be happy to see
you, and I will have a verbal conversation with you.”
A _chatter_, belonging to one of the gentlemen of our party, having
stolen some money, the silver head of a _kaleoon_ and other ornaments,
was ordered to receive the bastinado on the soles of his feet. He was
first thrown on his back, and his feet inserted through a cord, which
fastened them to a long pole, and then exposed horizontally. Four stout
_feroshes_ then bastinadoed his feet until he confessed that another
fellow had been his accomplice, who was also punished in the same
manner. If the criminals had been delivered up to the King’s _Nasakchee
Bashee_, they would have lost their lives; for the King never pardons
theft, and orders a convicted thief to be executed instantly. The mode
is as follows: two young trees are by main strength brought together
at their summits, and there fastened with cords together. The culprit
is then brought out, and his legs are tied with ropes, which are again
carried up and fixed to the top of the trees. The cords that force the
trees together are then cut; and, in the elasticity and power of this
spring, the body of the thief is torn asunder, and left thus to hang
divided on each separate tree. The inflexibility of the King in this
point has given to the roads a security, which, in former times, was
little known.
The King sent by one of his _feroshes_ a present of two mountain goats
to the Envoy. The man was offered one hundred piastres for bringing
them, which he rejected as an inadequate reward; former Missions indeed
had taught him to expect more profusion.
The 20th of March was the eve of the _Norooz_; and as a part of
the ceremony of the season, the _Ameen-ed-Doulah_ sent the Envoy a
present. It consisted of two plates of money, one of silver coins,
and the other of gold; several trays of sweetmeats, one of which was
decked out in flowers and gilded ornaments like a temple; and two wax
candles, which were accompanied by flowers exquisitely imitated in
wax. The whole present amounted, by our computation, to six hundred
and fifty piastres, for which, according to the return which we made,
we paid most dearly. The wretched traffic of presents places the
Persian character in a very unfavourable light. The meannesses and
obligations to which they will submit for the sake of a present, and
their jealousies and anxieties about its amount, are at least very
ridiculous. The presents which the King distributes on the _Nooroz_ are
costly; to each of the chief men and officers of his court he sends a
_kalaat_, (a dress of honour, consisting of a complete suit of brocade
with a shawl); and he sometimes gives a horse and its caparisons.
The _kalaats_ indeed are furnished in specified contributions, by
particular cities, (_Yezd_, _Shiraz_, and _Ispahan_,) and by the
_Ameen-ed-Doulah_; and each _kalaat_ is the means of paying the servant
who may bear it; as the present, which he invariably receives as a
perquisite in return is deducted from his wages. The number of the
_kalaats_ is reckoned at nine hundred; and their value, on an average
of three hundred piastres, will amount to two hundred and seventy
thousand. Besides this, the King distributes handfuls of money at his
public _Dewan_ to those who attract his favour. A large vase of gold
and silver coins mixed stands at his elbow; in this he puts his hand,
and taking out as much as he can grasp, pours it into the two extended
palms of the man who is lucky enough to engage his notice.
On the 21st, the weather, which had been unfavourable, cleared up, and
a fine morning was enlivened by three discharges of artillery in honour
of the _Norooz_.
This festival is one of those which have remained in opposition to
Mahomedanism, and was one of the first kept sacred in Persia in the
ages of the worship of fire. RICHARDSON says, “that their chief
festivals were those about the equinoxes; the next were those of water
at Midsummer, and of fire at the Winter solstice. The first was the
_Norooz_, which commenced with their year in March, and lasted six
days, during which all ranks seem to have participated in one general
joy. The rich sent presents to the poor: all were dressed in their
holiday clothes, and all kept open house: and religious processions,
music, dancing, a species of theatrical exhibition, rustic sports,
and other pastimes presented a continued round of varied amusement.
Even the dead and the ideal things were not forgotten; rich viands
being placed on the tops of houses and high towers, on the flavour
of which the Peris and spirits of their departed heroes and friends
were supposed to feast.”[38] To this day the festival of the _Norooz_
retains many of these ceremonies, though it has changed its character
since the rise of Mahomedanism in Persia, and ceases to be connected
with the religion of the country. It commences when the sun just enters
_Aries_, and lasts three days; it begins the spring of nature, though
it no longer commences the civil year of the Persians, who, like all
other Mahomedans, have adopted the lunar calculation. It is still the
most solemn of the Persian festivals, as it was in the day of CHARDIN.
Mr. BRUCE informed me of a singular fact, that it was not observed at
all on the coast of the Persian Gulph. At _Teheran_, however, we saw
it celebrated with great festivity. It differs from the _Norooz_ of
ancient Persia in the diminution of its duration; and in the absence
of all religious observance: there are no processions and still less
any offerings of viands to the dead. But all on meeting in the morning
embrace and say, “_Ayd mobarek_; happy festival!” as in England we wish
our friends a merry Christmas. The rich still send presents to the
poor, all are still dressed in their holiday clothes, and sports of
every kind are preserved in the season.
22d. We visited the _Ameen-ed-Doulah_. He was seated in his _dewan
khonéh_, dressed in the _kalaat_ which he had received from the King.
His _mujlis_ or assembly was crowded by _Khans_ of the neighbouring
districts, who had repaired to the city to pay their compliments
to their superior on the _Norooz_. These, indeed, were far from
conforming to the custom of displaying their holiday clothes, and
whether through policy or through want, bore on their dress all the
marks of poverty and misery.
On the 24th, the Envoy was invited to an entertainment, which the
King gave. We proceeded to the palace, and having gone through the
great gate, leading into the _Ark_, or more immediate residence of the
King, we dismounted at the gate which opens into the _Maidan_ and the
first great court of the palace. Opposite to this gate is another; in
an open room at the summit of which, the King was seated. We walked
across the court, and were led through many passages, and ascended many
intricate flights of steps, until we reached the roof of the buildings
on the right of the _Shah_. Over this roof, which in many places was of
difficult access, we scrambled, until we came to a little tent prepared
for us, which was pitched on the summit of a door-way, close to the
King’s room.
The court, in which the different exhibitions were to take place,
appeared to us to be near two hundred feet square. On each side of
the great gate were sixteen arched compartments, each of which opened
into a small room. In the centre was a high pole, with a truck at the
top, and small projections for the convenience of ascending it. This
pole is for the purpose of horse exercises, and shooting at the mark.
Close under the room in which the _Shah_ was seated, was a basin of
water, on the other side of which were erected the poles and ropes of a
rope-dancer. In a circle round these, were fire-works placed in various
forms and quantities. Four figures of paper and linen dressed like
Europeans were erected on high, and surrounded with fire-works. At a
distance were elephants of paper, stuck all over with rockets; on all
the walls were rockets; and, in short, fire-works were placed in every
direction. Opposite to the _Shah_ in two lines were the new raised
troops, with drummers standing in a row at the furthermost extremity.
In the centre of these was the _Nasakchee Bashee_, who appeared as the
director of the entertainment. He had a stick in his hand, and wore on
his head a _gika_, a distinguishing ornament borne by particular people
only, to whom the King grants the liberty.
The first ceremony was the introduction of the presents from the
different provinces. That from Prince HOSSEIN ALI MIRZA, Governor of
_Shiraz_, came first. The Master of the Ceremonies walked up, having
with him the conductor of the present, and an attendant, who, when the
name and titles of the donor had been proclaimed, read aloud from a
paper the list of the articles. The present from Prince HOSSEIN ALI
MIRZA, consisted of a very long train of large trays placed on men’s
heads, on which were shawls, stuffs of all sorts, pearls, &c.; then
many trays filled with sugar, and sweetmeats; after that many mules
laden with fruit, &c. &c. &c. The next present was from MAHOMED ALI
KHAN, Prince of _Hamadan_, the eldest born of the King’s sons, but who
had been deprived by his father of the succession, because the Georgian
slave who bore him was of an extraction less noble than that of the
mothers of the younger Princes. His present accorded with the character
which is assigned to him; it consisted of pistols and spears, a string
of one hundred camels, and as many mules. After this came the present
from the Prince of _Yezd_, another of the King’s sons, which consisted
of shawls and the silken stuffs, the manufacture of his own town. Then
followed that of the Prince of _Mesched_; and last of all, and the most
valuable, was that from HAJEE MOHAMED HOSSEIN KHAN, _Ameen-ed-Doulah_.
It consisted of fifty mules, each covered with a fine Cashmire shawl,
and each carrying a load of one thousand _tomauns_.
The other offerings had been lodged in the _Sandeck Khona_, (literally,
Trunk Office). This was conveyed in a different direction to the
Treasury. Each present, like the first, contained a portion of sugar
and sweetmeats. When all the train had passed in procession, one by one
before the King, the amusements commenced.
First came the rope-dancer: a boy about twelve years old, ascended the
rope, and paced it backwards and forwards. The same rope was continued
to the roof of the room in which the King was seated, making first
an angle of forty degrees, and then, in a second flight, an angle of
fifty degrees, with its horizontal extension. The boy balancing himself
with his pole, walked up the first steadily, and with very little more
difficulty ascended the second, while the music below animated him in
his progress. He then, with the same steadiness descended, walking
backwards, and safely reached the horizontal rope. After this a man in
a kind of petticoat began a dance of the most extravagant attitudes.
A large elephant which had been in waiting amid the crowd, was next
brought forward, was made to give a shriek, and then to kneel down,
paying as it were his _selaam_ to the King. A company of wrestlers
succeeded; and every one, who threw his antagonist on his back, ran
before the King and received a _tomaun_. When ten such feats had been
successively performed, a man led in a bear, with which in his turn
he wrestled. But the bear always had the advantage; and when his
antagonist attempted to throw him into the basin of water, the bear got
so much out of humour, that if he had not been deprived of his teeth,
he would probably have demolished the unlucky assailant. Then rams
were brought into the arena, and in several couples fought for some
time with much obstinacy. A poor ox was next introduced, and after him
a young lion. The scene, which we had witnessed at _Shiraz_, was here
repeated. The ox was scarcely suffered to walk, before the lion was let
loose upon him; twice was the lion dragged off, and twice permitted to
return to the charge, which he always made in the rear, and of which
the success was secure and easy. A less bloody display succeeded; a
bear was brought forwards by a company of _looties_ or mountebanks, and
danced for some time to the rude noise and music of its leaders. Then
came a man who, on his bare head balanced, among other things, two high
vases full of water, which another was to break with his cane.
To all these different performers, the King threw different sums,
as he was severally pleased with their tricks and feats. At sun-set
his Majesty retired to say his _Namaz_, (prayers) when his _Nokara
Khanah_, that is his trumpets and drums, played as usual. At this
moment the Envoy retired, happy to escape the noise and smoke of the
fire-works, which were to close the entertainment.