"دليل بلاد فارس، المجلد I ويشمل محافظات أستراباد، شاهرود-بوستان، خراسان، وسيستان" [ظ‎‎٢‎٧‎٢] (٧٢٢/٥٥١)

Bodyguard.—The c gbulam-i-rikabi ^ are composed of the following
materials,—the Shah’s Georgian and other slaves, men of his own and
other loyal tribes, and men who are partly hostages, partly soldiers, from
the disloyal or turbulent tribes, who are bribed into fidelity by regular
pay and the peculations and plunder allowed to these favoured troops. They
are mostly men of good birth—a corps (Velite both as to men and horses.
They are said to be paid, rationed, and clothed well, and are besides employed
on every service likely to add to their income. They accompany the Shah
on his excursions.
The cavalry is entirely unorganised, and is quite innocent of Western
ideas connected with the arme blanche. Each man
Want of all orgamsa- pretty much for his own hand, either with shield
ll,e < ' svalrJ '- o? speax, or firing his matchlock xvhile riding full
speed. The whole Persian nation are justly proud of their riding, as from
childhood they are accustomed to the saddle ; and no bolder nor more
daring horsemen can be found in any country. Military opinion places
the best Iliat irregulars above the Cossacks, whom in the last war
the Mikri tribe never feared to meet, and superior to the Turkish
irregular cavalry. The Persians ride with high saddles and short stirrups.
The ghulam-i-rikabi are variously estimated at from 2,500 to 3,000.
Money, discipline, and better arms are alone needed to raise in Persia a
body of light cavalty of this type, numbering 10,000 men, equal to the
best of our own (Indian) irregular regiments.
Foot-guards.—A portion of the Tihran infantry forms the foot-guards.
This force formerly numbered 12.,000 men in three f arks, ’ or reliefs (?).
Itecent accounts mention three guard regiments. The same bodies of troops
are probably meant. These men are principally from Mazandaran and the
tribes connected with the Shah’s own race. The writer (of Persia?) is of
opinion, taking into consideration various circumstances stated later, that
the moderately good regular infantry does not exceed 10,000 men; that
20,000 more of an inferior sort are enrolled in some form or other; and that
the whole force in the shape of a regular army could be brought to 50,000,
by drawing on the tufangchis for 20,000 men more. By virtue of the
prestige of European organisation and of a certain amount of discipline, the
sarbaz may be reckoned as slightly superior to the untrained levies of
Afghans and Turkumans.
Tufangchis, matchlockmen, or local militia.—Almost the entire popula
tion of Persia, especially in the less settled and border districts, carry
arms, and in some places have a semblance of coherence and discipline;
but even then they will only submit to be commanded by their own head
men. At Naudih in the Gurgan valley* we find a force of local militia
of 1,000 men, all armed with serviceable firearms, and to a certain extent
organised, who are paid a sufficient sum to keep up their equipment and
a supply of ammunition, and who in their own country would be formidable,
even to disciplined forces. In many places, in fact, they are, though lacking
discipline, brave,—nearly as w'ell armed as the sarbaz, thoroughly acquainted
with the country, and have a personal interest in its preservation, which
the regular troops, recruited in distant provinces, do not feel. But in other
localities the volunteers, both horse and foot, are the laughing-stock of
the border.
* Not btated where this information is found.