'The Expedition for the survey of the rivers Euphrates and Tigris, carried on by order of the British government, in the years 1835, 1836, and 1837; preceded by geographical and historical notices of the regions situated between the rivers Nile and Indus. In four volumes. With fourteen maps and charts, and embellished with ninety-seven plates, besides numerous wood-cuts. Volume the first.' [‎233] (298/905)

CHAP. XI.] PUBLIC FUNCTIONARIES.
233
Governments of the first class are intrusted to the Shah's Chiefs of
sons and near relatives, who become sardars (viceroys, oj .?^ 111068 -
satraps), and are merely assisted by a mohussil, or treasurer,
sent by the king, to see the revenue collected. The secondary
provincial appointments are intrusted either to begler or
kulom begs, according to their importance. The towns have
either a hak'm (mayor), or a calenter (a higher class of
magistrate); the small districts an inferior officer, called a
zabut; and the villages a chief, or ketkhodah.
The mountain and nomad tribes have their own laws, Administration
which are administered by the chief as representative of the of
sovereign; and his judgments are, in a great measure, guided
by patriarchal usage. The fixed inhabitants have two kinds
of tribunals: in the one (the sherrah courts), the civil and
criminal law are administered, agreeably to the text of the
Koran, as well as the traditions of the people, by the Sheikh
ul Islam of each city or town, assisted by the kazi. In the
other (the Urf courts), the Shah presides, or the governor of
a province as his representative, with the assistance of the
magistrates and other local authorities, who receive evidence
and award punishments short of death. The highest sen
tence of the law, as well as the decision in appeals, rests with
the sovereign; and it may be observed, that capital punish
ments are not particularly frequent.
Two centuries since, wisdom, justice, and sobriety formed Education of
, - « N , ,. , . princes.
(as during the youth of Cyrus) the leading objects oi the
princes' education from the age of fourteen. In the present
day, the princes are taught to observe the external forms of
decorum and religious ceremonies. At seven years of age,
a course of grammar, logic, sacred law, and philosophy, is
commenced; riding, field sports, and martial exercises then
follow; and with these the education may be said to termi
nate. From his earliest years, the heir to the throne hears
little except extravagant compliments, and witnesses on every
side a blind submission to his will. It is, therefore, not
surprising that the monarch should feel persuaded that the
Murray, London, 1827. The Great King.—Ogilby's Asia, p. 80. Shdh
Ogli (a holy man's descendant).—Ibid., p. 70.
VOL. I. ^ H