Notwithstanding all that has been said above, and the seeming attention and assistance paid to the English Ambassador’s endeavours to discover and punish Brown’s assassins, there is too much reason to apprehend that he fell a victim to the jealousy of the Persian government. People in those remote countries, and the Mahometans more particularly, have no conception whatever of a person’s undertaking the perils and fatigues of a long and distant journey, for the sake of intellectual or scientific improvement only. They invariably attach jealousy and suspicion to such a character wherever he appears, and impute to him, either political motives, or the desire of gain. The regions to which Browne directed his attention, were at the time in a very unquiet and unsettled state. The Persian Sovereign considered his authority over them, as precarious and insecure. The peace with Russia was not definitively concluded, and the government might, not improbably, entertain a suspicion, that Browne’s motive was political, and not the avowed one of curiosity alone. Several subsequent incidents, circumstantially considered, very much tend to corroborate the idea, that the Persian ministers were not entirely innocent of the death of this unfortunate traveller.
In the first place, his arms were not touched; his gun, double-barrelled pistols, and weapons were all preserved and carefully returned to the English Ambassador. So also were his papers of every kind, and indeed each article of his property, except his money, which it was generally understood was seized by his servant and secretary.
In the next place, one of our artillery-men, who was stationed at Ispahan, on some provocation he had received, neglect of pay, personal affront, or some other cause of offence, abruptly left the place, and undismayed by the danger and the distance, endeavoured to make his way to Tebriz, where the Ambassador was then resident, in the court of the Persian Monarch. He then proceeded in spite of every obstacle, nearly to the spot where Browne was murdered, when he was stopped, as it should seem, by some of the miscreants, who had imbrued their hands in the blood of his countryman. They insisted upon his immediate return, which for a long time he refused to do, till at length they told him that if he did not, they would treat him as they did the Englishman the other day.
Browne, when at Tebriz, had lived at the house of Colonel D⸺, who commanded the artillery sent to Persia from this country. This gentleman was greatly affected at the news of Browne’s death, and determined, if possible, to obtain his remains for burial. He accordingly availed himself of the influence he possessed, and obtained from the Persian ministers, the necessary mandate, that Browne’s remains should be delivered to the Colonel’s messengers.
He employed for this purpose a trusty serjeant, who proceeded to the spot. On producing the minister’s orders to the principal person of the place, he was informed that the mandate was so peremptory, that it could not be resisted, but at the risk of his head, and he would immediately give the necessary directions for the bones to be collected. Much evasion was nevertheless practised, and so much time lost, that the honest serjeant became impatient, and declared that if what he came for was not immediately produced, he would return without them. At this moment, two men, with each a small burden, were seen approaching, who were declared to have with them what was wanted.
They were delivered to the serjeant, who, as directed, rewarded the parties, and hastened to return. The English gentlemen had intended to come out in a body to meet the relics, had ordered a coffin covered with black velvet to receive them, and intended to inter them with the usual ceremonies of the church. But the serjeant had already returned, and deposited the charge in the officer’s house. The surgeon of the British establishment undertook to examine the bones, and arrange them, but on closer inspection it appeared that a gross imposition had been practised. There was indeed a part of a skull, but the other bones were certainly not human, but belonged to some animal.
Since the above was written, information has been received, that a gentleman, an intimate connection of the traveller, has obtained possession of his papers, and of various documents relating to him and his meditated journies. These are methodizing and preparing for the press.
Qui demissi in obscuro vitam agunt, Pauci sciunt—fama atque fortuna eorum pares sunt—qui in excelso ætatem agunt, eorum facta cuncti mortales novere.