Sketches of Persia :: CONTENTS.

CONTENTS.

	Page
Introduction	xi

CHAPTER I.
Voyage from Bombay to the Persian Gulf	1

CHAPTER II.
Muscat	6

CHAPTER III.
The Persian Gulf and Abusheher	15

CHAPTER IV.
Camp at Abusheher—Horses—AbdÛlla Aga—Anecdote of an Arab	22

CHAPTER V.
Hunting and hawking—Entertainment of the Shaikh—Tollemache—
Mirage—Nadir ShÂh and Turkish ambassador	28

CHAPTER VI.
Elchee's lectures—Mehmandar's journal—Arab nurse—Blue-Beard—
Persian ceremony—King's picture	37

CHAPTER VII.
Mountaineers—Valley of Kazeroon—Virtue of Nitric Acid—RizÂ
Kooli Khan's loss of eyes—Extraordinary birds—Beautiful
valley of Desht-e-Arjun—Mahomet RizÂ Khan Byat—Irish
patriotism—Persian squire	45

CHAPTER VIII.
Principal characters of the mission—Mahomed Hoosein Khan—Jaffier
Ali Khan—MeerzÂ Aga Meer—Mahomed Hoosein—Hajee
Hoosein—Candidates for the Elchee's favour	53

CHAPTER IX.
Importance of forms—Description of those used at visits in Persia—
Difficulties on this subject—Happy termination of a battle
of ceremonies between the first mission and the petty court of
Shiraz—Persian society—Fables and Apologues	62

CHAPTER X.
Fable of the two cats—Preamble to Persian treaty—Apologues
from SÂdee—Letter from NizÂm-ool-Moolk to Mahomed ShÂh—Death
of Yezdijird	77

CHAPTER XI.
Shiraz—Shaikh-ool-IslÛm, or Chief Judge—Story of Ald-ool-Kadir—
Entertainments—Derveesh Seffer—Story of AbdÛlla
of Khorassan—Persian poet	87

CHAPTER XII.
Persian servants—Departure from Shiraz—Persepolis—Tale of the
labours of Roostem—Anecdote of a sportsman	105

CHAPTER XIII.
Travellers and Antiquaries—Wild Ass—Hawking—MÂder-e-SÛlimÂn—
Akleed—Mirrors—Mehdee Khan—Isfahan—Persian citizens and
peasantry—ShÂh Abbas the Great—HÂroon-oor-Rasheed—Nethenz	123

CHAPTER XIV.
Cashan—Scorpions—CÂshÂnee youth—Village of Sinsin—Plundering
expeditions of the TÛrkÂmÂns—Account of that tribe—Wandering
tribes—Visit to the dwelling of MihrÂb Khan—AfshÂr—Account
of his family and adherents—Anecdote of Kerreem Khan	145

CHAPTER XV.
Arrival at Koom—Mahomedan ladies—their rights and privileges
after marriage—Divorces—Story of Hajee SalÂh, the cross-grained	161

CHAPTER XVI.
Departure from Koom—Poolee-DellÂk—DeryÂ-e-Kebeer—Valley
of the Shadow of Death—Story of a Ghool—Remarks on
Persian poetry	180

CHAPTER XVII.
Distant view of Teheran—Demavend—Rhe—Entrance into the
capital—Hajee Ibrahim—ZÂl Khan—Terms of courtesy	197

CHAPTER XVIII.
Terms of reception at court—Second visit—Delivery of presents—King's
grant—Private interviews—King's ancestors—Crown
jewels—King's love of a joke—Mode of passing his time—Harem—
Royal meals—Hajee Ibrahim—His character and death	207

CHAPTER XIX.
Progress of the Russians—Buonaparte—Second visit to Tullanea—King
Abbas MeerzÂ—Reflections—Electrifying machine—Phantasmagoria—
Ministers of the Persian court—M Clyx.com