[232] Bellew (Forsyth Mission, p. 119) says that Isma`īl received his patent of succession from the Caliph while engaged in this campaign; but this is not in agreement with Narshakhi, whom he gives as his authority.
[233] See above, p. 105.
[234] Cf. Weil, op. cit. ii. p. 483.
[235] Weil, op. cit. ii. p. 485, hints at this duplicity, basing his statement on the fact that the Caliph praised and rewarded Isma`īl when he heard of his victory over `Amr. Khwāndamīr, in his Habīb-us-Siyar, leaves the question open, and expressly says that Isma`īl acted “either on the Khalif’s orders or on his own initiative.”
[236] Nizām ul-Mulk, in his Siyāset Namé, tells an amusing anecdote in this connection. After `Amr had been taken prisoner, towards nightfall one of his fellows, having procured some meat and borrowed a saucepan, was preparing a meal for his master: while he for a moment left his cooking to fetch some salt, a dog came and poked his head into the saucepan. In trying to pull out a bone the handle of the pot fell round his neck, and he scampered off, carrying the scalding pot with him. On seeing this, `Amr remarked: “This morning 300 camels bore my kitchen, and to-night a dog has carried it off.”
[237] Narshakhi, ed. Schefer, p. 90. The editor was here (as in only too many places in this uncritical edition) guilty of allowing an absurd date to be printed in his text; for the date of `Amr’s death is given as 280!
[238] Narshakhi, loc. cit. Vambéry points out (op. cit. note to p. 66) that Sind and Hind are “a random boast” of the author.
[239] The governor before him had made Bokhārā his residence.
[240] A very striking description of the literary talent gathered there is given by ath-Tha`labi, in the Yatīmatu ´d-Dahr, vol. iv. p. 30 (Damascus ed.).
[241] Vambéry (Bokhara, p. 67) adds to this list Kazwīn, Shīrāz, and Isfahān, which were towns in the dominion of the Būyides. The Būyides and the Sāmānides practically shared the whole of Persia and Central Asia as follows:—