At This Gate, And For The First Time, I Was
Saluted By The Persian Ambassador As I Passed, By A Silent Salam.
In the midst of this enclosure, there stood a throne of mother-of-pearl,
borne aloft on two pillars, under cover of a high tent or pavilion, the
pole of which was headed by a golden knob, the roof being of cloth of
gold, and the ground covered by carpets.
When the king came near,
several noblemen were admitted, together with the Persian ambassador;
all of us making a kind of lane, the ambassador being on one side, and I
on the other. As the king came in, he cast his eye on me, whereupon I
made him a reverence, to which he answered by bowing and laying his hand
on his breast. Turning to the other side, he nodded to the Persian. I
followed close at his heels till he ascended the throne, every one
calling out, joy, health, and good fortune. The king then called for
water, with which he washed his hands, and then retired into an interior
tent, to join his women, who had entered by another gate to their own
quarters; there being about thirty divisions with tents within the royal
inclosure. His son I saw not. All the noblemen now retired to their
quarters, which were all very handsome, some having their tents green,
others white, and others again of mixed colours, all handsome in form
and arrangement, and all as orderly inclosed as their houses in the
city, so that the whole composed the most curious and magnificent sight
I had ever beheld. The whole vale seemed like a magnificent city, no
mean tents or baggage being allowed to mix among these splendid
pavilions. I was utterly unprovided with carriages or tent, and ashamed
of my situation, for indeed five years of my allowances would not have
enabled me to take the field any thing like the others; every one having
a double set of pavilions, one of which goes before to the next station,
where it is set up a day before the king removes. On this account, I was
obliged to return to my poor house in the town.
On the 5th November I rode about five miles, to the tents of the prince,
Sultan Churrum. I made him my compliments of leave taking, wishing him
all prosperity and success; but he ordered me to return and take my
leave two days afterwards, as I had moved him on some business,
respecting debts due to the English, which he promised to examine and
dispatch. He sat in state, in the same greatness and magnificence I have
mentioned of his father; his throne being plated all over with silver,
inlaid with gold flowers, having a square canopy over head, borne up by
four pillars covered with silver; his arms, such as his sword, buckler,
bows, arrows, and lance, being on a table before his throne. I observed
him curiously, now that he was in absolute authority, and took especial
notice of his actions and behaviour.
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