'A second journey through Persia, Armenia, and Asia Minor, to Constantinople, between the years 1810 and 1816. With a journal of the voyage by the Brazils and Bombay to the Persian Gulf. Together with an account of the proceedings of His Majesty's embassy under Sir Gore Ouseley, Bart. K.L.S. With two maps, and engravings from the designs of the author.' [‎92] (129/516)

PERSIAN MUSICIANS.
sessing so much as to excite the cupidity ot his governors. A good
horse, a good sword, and a " cypress waist, were the sum of all his
desires.
We were treated during this visit with the best fruits, sweetmeats,
ices, and sherbets. The fruits now in season were the small apricot,
the white mulberry, and a plum, called in Persian Gourji; neither of
which we found good. Indeed they were scarcely in season ; but the
Persians, who are very fond of unripe fruit, pluck it from the tree be
fore it comes to maturity. They are much prejudiced in favour of
their own fruit, and would not allow that we could possess any in our
country which could bear a competition with theirs. The Persian Am
bassador when in England preserved his national feeling towards the
fruits of Persia; and when a comparison happened to be made between
the two countries, he exclaimed, " 'Tis true that we have not such fine
houses, adorned with looking-glasses, as you have, no carriages, nor
are we so rich; but we have better fruit, and we always see the sun."
Our new Mehmandar, who appeared jealous of the pleasure we took
in the company of his predecessor, was very anxious that the Ambas
sador should accept of an entertainment from him; and he therefore in
vited us to a breakfast, in which he strove to outvie the attentions we had
received from the other. He treated us with a concert, performed by
four musicians: one of whom played on the Kamounche ; a second sang,
fanning his mouth with a piece of paper to aid the undulations of his
voice ; the third was a tambourine player ; and the last beat two little
drums, placed on the ground before him. They were the best musi-'
cians of Shiraz; and although to us their music was of too noisy a na
ture to be agreeable, yet it was rapture to the Persians, in whose faces
we could trace great feelings of delight.
Some days after, the Prince of Shiraz went in his greatest state to*
Kalaat Poushan, there to meet and be invested with the dress of ho
nour, which was sent to him by the King, on the festival of No-Rooz. 1
Although the day of the festival had long elapsed, yet the ceremony
did not take place until this time, as the astrologers did not announce
a day sufficiently fortunate for the performance of an act of so much