CONTENTS.

Page
Introduction[xi]
CHAPTER I.
Voyage from Bombay to the Persian Gulf[1]
CHAPTER II.
Muscat[6]
CHAPTER III.
The Persian Gulf and Abusheher[15]
CHAPTER IV.
Camp at Abusheher—Horses—Abdûlla Aga—Anecdote of an Arab[22]
CHAPTER V.
Hunting and hawking—Entertainment of the Shaikh—Tollemache—
Mirage—Nadir Shâh and Turkish ambassador[28]
CHAPTER VI.
Elchee's lectures—Mehmandar's journal—Arab nurse—Blue-Beard—
Persian ceremony—King's picture[37]
CHAPTER VII.
Mountaineers—Valley of Kazeroon—Virtue of Nitric Acid—Rizâ
Kooli Khan's loss of eyes—Extraordinary birds—Beautiful
valley of Desht-e-Arjun—Mahomet Rizâ Khan Byat—Irish
patriotism—Persian squire[45]
CHAPTER VIII.
Principal characters of the mission—Mahomed Hoosein Khan—Jaffier
Ali Khan—Meerzâ Aga Meer—Mahomed Hoosein—Hajee
Hoosein—Candidates for the Elchee's favour[53]
CHAPTER IX.
Importance of forms—Description of those used at visits in Persia—
Difficulties on this subject—Happy termination of a battle
of ceremonies between the first mission and the petty court of
Shiraz—Persian society—Fables and Apologues[62]
CHAPTER X.
Fable of the two cats—Preamble to Persian treaty—Apologues
from Sâdee—Letter from Nizâm-ool-Moolk to Mahomed Shâh—Death
of Yezdijird[77]
CHAPTER XI.
Shiraz—Shaikh-ool-Islûm, or Chief Judge—Story of Ald-ool-Kadir—
Entertainments—Derveesh Seffer—Story of Abdûlla
of Khorassan—Persian poet[87]
CHAPTER XII.
Persian servants—Departure from Shiraz—Persepolis—Tale of the
labours of Roostem—Anecdote of a sportsman[105]
CHAPTER XIII.
Travellers and Antiquaries—Wild Ass—Hawking—Mâder-e-Sûlimân—
Akleed—Mirrors—Mehdee Khan—Isfahan—Persian citizens and
peasantry—Shâh Abbas the Great—Hâroon-oor-Rasheed—Nethenz[123]
CHAPTER XIV.
Cashan—Scorpions—Câshânee youth—Village of Sinsin—Plundering
expeditions of the Tûrkâmâns—Account of that tribe—Wandering
tribes—Visit to the dwelling of Mihrâb Khan—Afshâr—Account
of his family and adherents—Anecdote of Kerreem Khan[145]
CHAPTER XV.
Arrival at Koom—Mahomedan ladies—their rights and privileges
after marriage—Divorces—Story of Hajee Salâh, the cross-grained[161]
CHAPTER XVI.
Departure from Koom—Poolee-Dellâk—Deryâ-e-Kebeer—Valley
of the Shadow of Death—Story of a Ghool—Remarks on
Persian poetry[180]
CHAPTER XVII.
Distant view of Teheran—Demavend—Rhe—Entrance into the
capital—Hajee Ibrahim—Zâl Khan—Terms of courtesy[197]
CHAPTER XVIII.
Terms of reception at court—Second visit—Delivery of presents—King's
grant—Private interviews—King's ancestors—Crown
jewels—King's love of a joke—Mode of passing his time—Harem—
Royal meals—Hajee Ibrahim—His character and death[207]
CHAPTER XIX.
Progress of the Russians—Buonaparte—Second visit to Tullanea—King
Abbas Meerzâ—Reflections—Electrifying machine—Phantasmagoria—
Ministers of the Persian court—Mahomed Hoosein Khan Mervee[225]