'Travels from India to England : comprehending a visit to the Burman Empire, and a journey through Persia, Asia Minor, European Turkey, &c., in the years 1825-26, by James Edward Alexander' [‎188] (267/412)

188 PERSIA.
In marching to our encampment, we observed a large tip or body
of horsemen crossing the plain before us. First there appeared five
or six yedducks, or led horses; then came an Arusbeggee, or re
ceiver of petitions ; then four Shatirs, or running-footmen; alone,
and apart from the rest, rode a person of rank, whom we found to be
Shaikh Allee Mirza, a son of the King, who was proceeding, with
what he called a thousand horse, to join Abbas Mirza, engaged with
the Russians in Karabaugh. Before the Prince walked the crier,
proclaiming his titles ; behind him, and at some distance, three hun
dred horse extended over the plain in a long irregular line ; several
of them dashed out at intervals and skirmished. Their tents were
not far from ours. They were Zunds, from the province of Mul-
laeh, the Prince's government. Kurdahoor, where we had had the
skirmish on the 7th, is in that province.
We lost no time in repairing to the Humaum after our arrival.
We found it, though old, to be the largest and best we had yet seen,
to be a private one. In it there were two cisterns of water, each
forty feet by fifteen; one of hot, the other of cold water; the depth
seven feet. After the dullaks, or barbers, had done their office, we
had a delightful swim in the latter. After dinner we waited on his
Royal Highness Prince Shaikh Allee Mirza. He was seated in a
Persian double-poled tent, which differs little from an English one,
except in having no ridge-pole, and in being divided into a number
of small apartments. He asked a great many foolish Questions,
displaying great ignorance, and telling innumerable lies ; one of
which was, that certain intelligence had just arrived of a great bat
tle having been fought between the two brothers, Nicholas and Con-
stantine, in which five thousand officers alone had fallen. It was
ridiculous