continue victorious, he should be carried as a flave into the country of thofe barbarians, The Turkuman Tartars foon after quarreled about the plunder. Fear now took place of tumultuous joy; the gates of the city were ordered to be thut, and no perfon allowed to pafs in or out, without the knowledge of Mabommed Haffan. However, Mr. Hanway having given to that new Governor a regular account of the real value of the goods, and the better to carry on the farce received of him a bill for the amount which was promised to be paid when the new government was established, the Governor engaged Myrza to provide him and his attendants a guard, and horses to carry them. The Author leaves Astrabad, arrives at Balfiuh, joins a Party of the Shah's Forces, and the Adventures which befel him in retiring before the Turkuman Tartars. N the 24th of January Mr. Hanway took leave of Aftrabad under the convoy of Myrza, his brother, his two fons, and about 20 armed villagers; he carried with him all his baggage and even his arms, and after a day's journey arrived safe at Koordiemalla, a village belonging to Myrza. His brother whofe character was not the most amiable, would have conducted Mr. Hanway to his house in the adjacent mountain; but he abfolutely refused to go, in which refolution he was confirmed by the carriers, who expreffed their fears of him by faying, "God only knows of "his fecret retirements." Myrza who imagined Mr. Hanway was ftill poffeffed of fome things of value, thought it inconfiftent with his intereft to fuffer him to carry them off. His demure countenance, and ftrict obfervance of the letter of the law, ferved to cover the violation of fubftantial virtue. He had now got that unhappy gentleman in his power, and made no fcruple to declare that he would not anfwer for his fafety a fingle mile farther, and that the carriers who were under his jurisdiction fhould not proceed, unless he left his baggage with him. This crafty old man, whose perfidiousness was exceeded by nothing but his hypocrify, refolved to play a cunning game: if the rebellion fucceeded he would make a prize of the baggage, and if it did not fucceed he would plead his loyalty by preferving it for Mr. Hanway. That gentleman faw himself intirely at his mercy, and therefore thought it best not to feem to mistrust him; therefore after having fecreted every thing that was portable, he delivered the rest up to him. The next day Mr. Hanway advanced with his company about 20 English miles, and that night lay in the open fields. On the 26th after travelling over ditches and pathlefs woods, he arrived at a ruined cottage, where he paffed the night. His greatest concern there was to prevent prevent the jackalls running away with his accoutrements: thefe animals with which the woods abound, are remarkably fond of leather, and several of them ran over his bed in the night. He was determined to part with his conductors as foon as poffible; for they fowed rebellion wherever they came, the people receiving them as their deliverers, complaining aloud that the Shah had reduced them to the extremeft mifery. They afterwards paffed by the ruins of the palace at Farabad, once famous for being the refidence of the Perfian Kings. From thence they proceeded through a little village upon a lake, where feveral peafants fupport themselves by catching wild ducks. They go in boats during the night near the marshy banks that are covered with rushes, and carry great lights on the stern, when ringing a number of small bells. the birds are confounded, and fly into their very hands. The carriers had engaged to conduct Mr. Hanway and his fervants to Balfrufh, the capital of Mazanderan now about 20 miles diftant; but hearing that Mahommed Khan, the Admiral of the fea coaft, was raifing forces to oppofe the Aftrabad rebels, they would proceed no farther. He was in a country furrounded by marshes, where no horfes, nor any other cattle were to be had, and therefore defired them to conduct him at leaft to fome place where he could procure horses; but this they alfo refufed, alledging that as he was near the sea, he might go by water. Accordingly on the 27th in the morning they conducted him to a poor fisherman's hut on the fea coaft, who had a leaky canoe too fmall for fix perfons; befides, it could be navigated only with oars near the fhore, where the furff ran fo high that it feemed impoffible for such a boat to convey Mr. Hanway and his fervants zo miles. He therefore repeated his intreaties that they would either find him horfes, according to their agreement, or conduct him where he might procure them. This demand they treated with contempt, which obliged him to threaten them to ufe force upon this two of them being armed with match-locks, lighted their matches: two had bows and arrows, and all of them, being fix in number, had fabres, and put themfelves in a posture of defence. Mr. Hanway collected his company, among whom were four mufkets, a blunderbufs, and a pair of pistols; but he could fcarcely depend on more than two of his fervants. In this fituation they parleyed for fome time, till at length Mr. Hanway wifely fubmitted, and trufting to providence embarked in the canoe, when having gentle breezes from the eaft, he and his attendants got fafe to Mefchedizar. The next day he sent an Armenian fervant to the Admiral Mahommed Khan, to inform him of his arrival, and to beg his protection on which he received a horfe handfomely caparifoned, and four mules for his fervants. : On the 30th he came to Balfrush, where he had the fatisfaction to learn the opinion of the Perfian merchants, that the Shah would make make good his lofs. Mahommed Khan congratulated him on his escape with life, and on his arrival within his jurifdiction. But the next day Sadoc Aga having advanced at the head of a party of Turkumans within a few miles of the city, Mr. Hanway waited on the Admiral, who now feemed cold to his intereft, and complained that he did not know but that the next day might be his laft, as he was neither in a condition to fight, not dared to retire, for fear of his master's displeasure. Our Author refolved now to depend no longer on the Khan's promifes; but to hire horfes, mules, or even affes, where he could get them; but this he foon found was impoffible; for the greatest part of the people had fled with their most valuable effects, and the reft were preparing to follow their example. Under thefe circumstances he had nothing to do but to prepare to receive the conquerors a fecond time, or to walk off by himfelf unattended. The next day Mahommed Khan fent him a horse miferably poor and diftempered: he was in fome doubt whether he fhould accept of him or not; but at length he took his leave of his interpreter and fervants, offering them what money they should have occafion for, and giving them the rebels pafport, he recommended them to providence. The Tartars entered one gate, as he went out of the other. Mr. Hanway fell in with a party which conducted the baggage of Mahommed Khan, who with his few forces foon followed; it was impoffible for our Author to keep pace with him. The Tartar boy fol lowed |