'Travels in Assyria, Media, and Persia, including a journey from Bagdad by Mount Zagros, to Hamadan, the ancient Ecbatana, researches in Ispahan and the ruins of Persepolis, and journey from thence by Shiraz and Shapoor to the sea-shore. Description of Bussorah, Bushire, Bahrein, Ormuz, and Muscat, narrative of an expedition against the pirates of the Persian Gulf, with illustrations of the voyage of Nearchus, and passage by the Arabian Sea to Bombay.' [‎191] (222/582)

TO ISPAHAN. jgj
specting the Infidels in India, where I professed to have been, he
begged of us to retard our journey a day for his sake, and pro
mised to take me to his father, who was a great man at Ispahan,
and who, he was sure, would be delighted at the friendship his son
had formed for me : on which ground he insisted upon my be
coming his guest, and remaining with him for a month or two
at least. I urged the importance of my getting to Bushire within
a stated time, as the route from thence further on was by sea; at
which the youth expressed great alarm, and entreated me, for his
sake, as well as that of my father and mother, never to trust
myself upon so dangerous an element. He told me the name of
his father, Assad Ullah Khan, with the place of his residence in
Ispahan ; begging me not to omit calling to see him on the mor
row, when he hoped to arrive after us, as the first thing he should
have to tell his father would be of the kind-hearted Hadjee from
Egypt, whom he had met on the road. I promised him to do
this, though, at the time, without the intention of keeping my
word, as it would lead perhaps to a train of circumstances which
might much embarrass me; and, whether there was any thing in
my looks or behaviour at the moment, which betrayed my dis
position or not, the youth suspected that I was promising what
I. should not perform, and absolutely wept at our parting, saying,
it was more than likely that I should never think of him again.
I was not quite unmoved at this unaccountable degree of sensi
bility towards so perfect a stranger as myself, and knew not what
construction I ought to place on such an incident, or how I ought
to act on such an occasion. The Dervish Ismael, as well as the
Fakeer Zein-el-Abedeen, my constant companions, were however
still more affected than myself; and as to the former, his sym
pathies and recollections were so powerfully called forth, that he
was moved even to tears, and exclaimed— 4 Every word from
his divine lips was like a dagger in my heart.'
This was a moonlight scene, soon after midnight,—the hour
which we had fixed for setting out; and though I sang some