29th. We departed from Khoné Zenioun this morning at half past seven; and at a quarter past eleven arrived at the Bagh Shah Cheragh, a distance of twenty miles. We travelled mostly over a country of ascents and descents, and on a better road than those of the preceding days. The same river, by the banks of which we had been encamped, accompanied us in various directions, and, winding towards the east, met us at a station of Rahdars,[33] (as we were entering the plain of Shiraz), where we crossed it on a decayed bridge, and saw the first view of Shiraz at the end of the plain. This day was replete with attentions and honours to Sir Harford and his Mission; an istakball, composed of fifty horsemen of our Mehmandar’s tribe, met us about three miles from our encampment; they were succeeded, as we advanced, by an assemblage on foot, who threw a glass vessel filled with sweetmeats beneath the Envoy’s horse, a ceremony which we had before witnessed at Kauzeroon, and which we again understood to be an honour shared with the King and his sons alone. Then came two of the principal merchants of Shiraz, accompanied by a boy, the son of Mahomed Nebee Khan, the new Governor of Bushire. They, however, incurred the Envoy’s displeasure by not dismounting from their horses, a form always observed in Persia by those of lower rank, when they meet a superior. We were thus met by three istakballs during the course of the day, and Mahomed Zeky Khan, our Mehmandar, amused us by the singing of a young boy, one of the first professional performers of Shiraz. A number of feats were performed by many of the horsemen who overspread the plain to a great extent; some throwing the girid, and then firing their pistols and muskets on full gallop, and others throwing the lance in the air, and catching it again.

On our road the Mehmandar, who had just received the message from Shiraz, announced that one of the Prince’s own tents was pitched at Bagh Shah Cheragh for the Envoy, and that the Prince further begged his acceptance of it. The present, which was offered with so much attention and delicacy, was worthy of the hand which gave it. On our arrival we found it displayed in the full elegance of its construction. It enclosed a large square occupied by a set of walls, the exterior of which was a crimson field, with green embroidery; on their interior covering were worked cypress trees and fighting lions. The whole was supported by three lofty and elegantly painted poles. Rich carpets were spread on the ground, and the ceilings and hangings were of the finest Masulipatam chintz, with appropriate poetical mottoes painted in the cornices. The Feroshes (or tent-pitchers) had contrived to make a small temporary garden before the entrance, and to introduce a little stream of water to run through the few green sprouts which they had planted. Three large trays of sweetmeats were placed in the tent ready for the Envoy’s reception; upon which, when our visitors were departed, we fed heartily. During the night, a fall of snow very opportunely laid the dust for our entrance into the city, in which were to be displayed all our splendour and finery.

CHAP. VI.
SHIRAZ.

PUBLIC ENTRY INTO SHIRAZ—HONORS PAID TO THE MISSION—DESCRIPTION OF THE CITY—THE ENVIRONS: TOMB OF HAFIZ; HAFT-TEN; STORY OF SHEIK CHENAN; GARDENS; PLEASURE HOUSES—INTRODUCTION AT THE COURT OF SHIRAZ—THE PALACE—THE PRINCE—HIS GOVERNMENT—FETE GIVEN TO THE ENVOY BY THE MINISTER—PRESENT FROM THE PRINCE’S OWN TABLE—THE CHIEF SECRETARY’S ENTERTAINMENT—SECOND INTERVIEW WITH THE PRINCE—REVIEW—THE FETE GIVEN TO THE MISSION BY THE MEHMANDAR—THE PRINCE’S PRESENT; DRESSES OF HONOR.

On the morning of the 30th Dec. the day fixed for our public entry into Shiraz, all the suite appeared in full uniforms, and the Envoy in a Persian cloak or catabee made of shawl, and lined with Samoor fur; a dress permitted to the Princes alone, and on that account assumed by Sir Harford, as the best means of conveying to the senses of the multitude, the high consideration of the office which he bore. We proceeded from our encampment at ten o’clock. The troop was dressed in their richest uniform, and made a very splendid escort. Our Mehmandar marshalled the whole of the Persian horsemen so admirably, that none crowded upon us in our march, and they only played about as usual and animated the plain by their noise and games.

At about two miles from the city we were met by some of the chief men of the place. It was a long contested negociation, whether they also were to pay the Envoy the compliment of dismounting, nor would they have submitted to this part of the ceremony, if Kerim Khan, the bearer of the King’s letter, had not rode forwards and represented to them, that as he was sent from His Majesty to see that every respect was properly shewn to the representative of the British King, he must report their present conduct at Teheran. This hint had the desired effect; and, as their party approached, the chiefs dismounted, and I, with some other gentlemen of the Mission, dismounted also, and went forward to meet them: the Envoy formally expressed his determination to alight to nobody but the Minister. Those who had yielded the honour thus reluctantly, were Bairam Ali Khan Cadjar, the Ish Agassi, or Master of the Ceremonies of the Prince’s Household, and Hassan Khan Cadjar, both of the King’s own family; Ahmed Beg, one of the sons of Nasr Oallah Khan, the Prince’s Prime Minister; and Mirza Zain Labadeen, the Chief Secretary. We proceeded slowly across the plain; the crowd and confusion increased almost impenetrably, as we approached the city, and nothing but the strength of our Mehmandar could have forced the passage. Mounted on his powerful large horse he was in all parts, dispersing one crowd, pushing forwards another, and dealing out the most unsparing blows to those who were disinclined to obey his call. At the gate, however, notwithstanding all his exertions, the closing numbers detained our progress for above a quarter of an hour; and vollies of blows were necessary to clear the entrance.

At length it was effected: the Envoy led the column, surrounded by the Persian grandees, and followed by the gentlemen of the mission in their rank, and the troop of the body guard. We passed through many streets to the Bazar-a-Vakeel, a long and spacious building, the shops of which were all laid out with their choicest merchandize to display on the occasion the plenty and prosperity of the country. The bazar itself is the most splendid monument of the taste and magnificence of Kerim Khan, who administered the affairs of Persia with sovereign authority, under the name of Vakeel or Regent, and died in 1779. The centre is marked above by a rotunda, and beneath by an enclosed platform; in the middle of which was seated the Cutwal or Minister of Police. The trumpet of the troop, which was sounded all through the streets, continued with finer effect under the covered roofs of the bazar. As the Envoy passed, every one stood up; all knew at least the blows which followed any dilatoriness.

After a long procession we arrived at the house appropriated for our reception. It was neatly built of a pale yellow brick, and was very spacious, though considerably out of repair, and indeed in some parts falling into absolute ruin. We were ushered into an apartment, where a large service of sweetmeats and fruits was prepared for us. Here we sat, until we had dispatched the usual forms of a visit with the grandees who had met us, and had accompanied us thus far. The remaining part of the day was occupied in receiving other less noble visitants, and in accepting the countless presents which were sent from various parts, and which consisted for the most part of live lambs, fruits and sweetmeats. The store of sweetmeats at last became so great, that they were distributed amongst our numerous servants, troopers, and feroshes. Among those, who succeeded the original party of our guests, was an officer dispatched by the Minister Nasr Oallah Khan with the intimation, that he deferred till the next day the pleasure of visiting the Envoy, in the fear that at present he might be fatigued with his journey. But our more brilliant visitors were Yusuf Beg, a Georgian youth of pleasing manners, a favourite in the suite of the Prince; and Abdullah Khan, who was nominated to officiate as our Mehmandar, till we should meet on the road an officer appointed by the King from his capital to assume the functions in the further progress of the Mission.

31st. Nasr Oallah Khan, accompanied by many of the greatest men of Shiraz, paid their visit of ceremony to the Envoy. The minister’s manners were plain, his features hard, and his beard peculiarly black. The usual routine of complimentary speeches and of other ceremonies occupied both parties during his stay. The Envoy, from the pressing invitation of the court, determined to hasten his departure towards Teheran; and eight days were fixed for our stay at Shiraz, though circumstances afterwards occasioned a further delay.