'Transactions of the Bombay Geographical Society, from January 1847 to May 1849. Edited by the Secretary. Volume VIII.' [‎284] (393/496)

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that hourly arrived, but conveyed no satisfactory intelligence; and while
Major Rawlinson gave audience to the incongruous relaters, I endea
voured, but in vain, to obtain the meridian altitudes of Saturn and Ju
piter, in order to fix the position. The task, however, was a hopeless
one, for the influx and reflux of the mob, coupled with the stamping of
the cattle’s feet, caused such a tremor on the ground that the mercury in
the horizon was perfectly useless.
When morning dawned, nine prisoners that had been brought in from
the suspected village during the night were paraded for judgment.
They were certainly the most sinister rascals in appearance that the eye
ever dwelt on, and their looks alone would be sufficient to condemn them
in the mind of a partial judge. Persian-like, they all swore, by God, by
Mahomed, and by Ali, that they were utterly ignorant of the affair; and
as to having aided, abetted, or connived at, such a flagrant act as the
plunder of an Elchi to the Amir of Kirmanshah, A1 humdl Allah, it was
too well known that they were peaceful subjects of the Shah, and ryots
of the Amir, even to cause suspicion to rest upon them. Two of them,
however, notwithstanding their vehement protestations of innocence,
were recognized as having misdirected the servants, and were retained
in custody. The rest were discharged, much to the chagrin of some of
the native officers of the party, who were desirous of keeping them to
grace our entry into Kirmanshah, after the prescribed customs as estab
lished by precedent, pertaining to all public entries in Persia.
As the morning advanced, another of the absent party made his appear
ance in an unenviable plight, having not only his clothes much torn but
his flesh also. This worthy fellow, animated by the example of the
brave Sarkies, had fled on the first alarm, and concealed himself some
feet deep in a hedge of briars. His great alarm had overcome the sense
of bodily pain that he must have endured while struggling to gam
a secure position. This he at last effected, with the loss of his clothes
and more of his skin. He was discovered in his “ form” in the morning,
and could, so great were his fears, scarcely be persuaded to abandon
himself to the kind care of his friends, who, in their endeavours to ie
lease him from his uncomfortable bed, I am afraid, by the laughter of
the relater of the story, inflicted on him a penance suitable to the ardour
of his disposition. But u arma mrumqiie cano” The last and on y
stout fellow of the absentees has just arrived, bruised and wounded, ^
with a merry heart, alternately laughing at the agility displayed by
fellow servants, and anon cursing their pusillanimity in no measure