conductor why he haftened them: "Doft thou know, faid one of them, that to condemned

perfons every hour of life is of great mo"ment?" Our Author now fent his interpreter to the Shah's minifter appointed for the reception of strangers, to enquire where he should pitch his tent but though they were so very near the Shah, fome of the foldiers in this village did not refrain from calling him rafcal in plain terms. On the 20th he fet out for the camp; and having entered it, pitched his tent near the royal standard.

CHA P. VIII.

The Author obtains a Decree from the Shah for the Payment of his Lofs at Aftrabad. A Defcription of the Perfian Camp. Of the Shah's Women, and their manner of Travelling.

UR Author had now the fatisfaction of

was fuppreffed; but he had fcarcely fixed his tent, than an accident had like to have deprived him of life; for his greater fecurity he had caused his fire-arms to be placed on the back part of the tent, and was walking in a pensive manner, when one of the fervants moving a piece, it went off, and he narrowly escaped being fhot. He was extremely alarmed left the report of the mufket, fo near the royal pavilion, fhould have given offence, his own be

ing of cotton, was fet on fire; but is was foon extinguished, and this accident was happily attended with no other confequence.

He inmediately waited on Mustapha Khan, who received him with great profeffions of kindness, obliged him to dine with him, and affured him that justice would be done him. In the mean while he delivered his petition to the chancery; and was told that it was believed his Majefty would pardon the Perfians in whofe company he came to Cafbin, merely to do him honour.

The Shah paffing from his harram to his tent of audience, gave Mr. Hanway an opportunity of feeing him; he was plainly dreffed, except in precious ftones. Some days after, the royal ftandard being taken down, as a fignal for striking the tents, the army decamped, marching about two leagues and a half north-eaft, where another tent being prepared for the Shah, Mr. Hanway pitch'd his in company with the whole camp. În marching the greatest part of the army kept in a collected, but irregular body: the followers of the camp covered several miles. The elephants and camels were employed only in carrying great burthens: the last are of feveral kinds, but the moft ferviceable are those with two bunches on their backs.

Mr. Hanway having delivered the bill he had received from Mahommed Haffan, the chief of the rebellion at Aftrabad, to the amount of his lofs, received a decree by which it was ordered, that he fhould give the particulars of his lofs in writing to Behbud Khan, the Shah's General

in

in Aftrabad, who had orders to deliver to him what ever part of the goods might poffibly be found, and to pay the deficiency out of the fequeftered eftates of the rebels without delay to the last denier. This was not quite what Mr. Hanway wished for, because it laid him under the neceffity of returning to Afirabad.

Being now eafy on the fubject of his lofs, he rode through the Perfian camp, attended by his interpreter and another perfon, and informed himself of every particular relating to it. The tents of the minifters and officers were placed in the front, near that of the Shah, that they might always be near him. The quarter alloted for his tents was very large: before it was an avenue, one fide of which confifted of a line of uniform tents, ferving for guard-rooms, and on the other were the tents in which the affairs of the chancery, and other public concerns were tranfacted. The pavilion in which the Shah ufually fat to give audience, was placed about 200 yards behind this avenue. It was an oblong fupported by three poles, adorned at the top with gilt balls. The covering was of brick-coloured cotton cloth, and the lining of clouded filk. It had no appearance of magnificence, and the front was always open even in the worst weather; but when it was very cold feveral pots of charcoal were placed in the middle. The floor was covered with carpets, and the Shah fat cross-legged, fometimes upon these, and at others on a fopha. The back part of the tent was divided into small apartments, and on each fide was a kind of alley, through which the at

tendants

tendants might walk round. At a confiderable diftance behind were the Shah's private tents, to fome of which he retired at his meals. Almost contiguous to thefe were the tents of the Shah's ladies, which had feveral curtains that formed feparate apartments one within another. The boundaries of the Shah's quarter were occupied by his eunuchs and female flaves, and almost this whole circuit, especially towards the refidence of the women, was furrounded by a strong fence of net-work, round which patrolled the night guard, who feverely punifhed all intruders.

The camp market begins at the end of the fquare fronting the guard rooms, and is about half a mile long. It confifts of tents on each fide like a ftreet fupplied with a variety of provifions, apparel, horfe furniture, and other neceffaries, which are brought thither for fale. The officer who has the care of this market, rides up and down to keep order, and when any difputes arife, the contending parties are brought before the fuperintendant of the market, who acquires a confiderable income from rents, fees, prefents, and extortions. Many of the fhop-keepers are little better than common futtlers. The great dealers are under the protection of fome of the courtiers, who are themselves the principal traders in flour and rice. As thefe great men have many fupernumerary fervants, camels and mules, they fend them to distant provinces for rice, which they bring to the camp for fale, and make vaft profits of it. The shopkeepers who prefume to

interfere

interfere with them in this branch of trade are generally marked out for destruction.

The regimental colours are a narrow flip of filk floped to a point, fome red, fome white, and fome ftriped. Several hours before the moving of the camp one of the standards was taken down by way of fignal, and carried to the place where the new camp was to be pitched. The bulk of the army often moved an hour or two before the Shah; for in removing from one camp to another, he fometimes galloped the whole way.

Nadir had about fixty women, and nearly as many eunuchs, who generally rode near his perfon and kept pace with him. Before him went his running footmen, preceded by the chanters; and before them the watch-guard. Thefe fpread a mile or two, and gave notice of the Shah's approach, by crying out, Yereie, or make way: but when they met with people in their rout, rivers, precipices and rocks were no excufe, they drove at them with their maces, and made all before them fly at their approach. This was only when he travelled with his women; for when he was without them, people were permitted to come nearer. His ladies, and indeed others of diftinction when in Nadir's company, rode on white horses, in the fame manner as the men; but at other times were carried on camels feated in machines refembling a covered waggon, hung like panniers over a pack-faddle, and entirely concealed under a covering of crimson cloth. Ordinary women rode on horses and mules, and mixed among

the