'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.' [‎205] (236/582)

ISPAHAN.
205
length of time which some of these notes were held, the boy's
face was swelled to redness; every vein of his throat seemed
ready to burst; and his fine black eyes, which were swimming in
lustre, appeared as if about to start from their blood-strained
sockets. Yet, with all this, no one could wish to interrupt such
charming sounds. The Arabic music had always seemed harsh
to me, the Turkish but little less so, and the Persian, though
still softer and more winning than either of these, yet wild and
monotonous; but here there was a pathos, an amorous tenderness,
and a strain of such fine and natural passion, in the plaints of
love which this boy poured forth to an imprisoned mistress, of
which I had till this hour thought the music of the East inca
pable. We all rewarded this infant singer liberally, and admo
nished him not to exert himself to the injury of his health and
powers, for the ears of a crowd, to whom sounds of less angelic
sweetness would be sufficiently gratifying.
It was past noon when we returned to the palace, by which
time an elegant repast of sweetmeats, fruits, some light dishes, and
tea, were served up for us, in the apartments of Assad Ullah Khan,
in a quarter of the same palace which we ourselves occupied ; and
the rest of the day was passed in all the variety of pleasures
which our entertainers could procure for us, in the fashion of
the country.
Oct. 8th. The young Mohammed Ali, who had been brought
fresh from his mother's lap in the harem, to meet his father here
at Ispahan, to-day commenced his military exercises, as it was
intended to bring him up to fill the station of Topjee Bashee,
which his father now occupied. Two Russian soldiers, who were
here as captives on the parole, were employed for this purpose,
and their first efforts were directed to teach the young recruit to
march. The boy was dressed in a short blue jacket with red
cuffs and collar, made after the European mode; but he still
retained his full Persian trowsers, with English boots over them,
and his black sheepskin cap; a naked sword was placed by his