“CHARACTERS. 
ly at the animal, he began to 
whisper and to laugh with those 
near him: then addressing him- 
self to me, said, * Why has not 
your master sent the horse, 
Karra-Goz, as I desired ?’—‘ That 
horse has defects,’ I replied, ‘ or 
he would have been sent. —* With 
all hisedefects,’ said Beggee Jan, 
smiling, ‘ he is twenty times 
better than the one you have 
brought.’ 
‘« While we were conversing, 
a great number of nobles came 
in; and I could not help obsery- 
ing the extraordinary richness 
and splendour of their arms and 
dresses. Beggee Jan returned 
the salute of every one of these 
in a kind and affable manner, 
and bade them be seated: but 
the shade of his small tent did 
not protect one half of them from 
the rays of the sun. Soon after 
their arrival, their chief fell into 
a deep reverie ; and, till evening 
prayers were announced, he ap- 
peared wholly absorbed in reli- 
gious contemplation. At the time 
of prayer all arose, and retired. 
I slept that night at the tent of 
Ishan Nukeeb. At day-light the 
army marched, and passed with- 
in a few miles of the fort of 
Chinnaran. After Beggee Jan 
had reached his encampment, he 
sent for me, and honoured me 
with a private audience, at which 
he was very affable. * Your mas- 
ter, Mameish Khan, is, I hear, 
always drinking wine.—*‘ I have 
not seen him drink,’ I replied, 
*‘ and cannot speak to that point.’ 
—‘ You are right,’ said he, ¢ not 
to state what you have not seen. 
Tell Mameish Khan,’ he con- 
tinued, ‘I have a regard for 
457 
him: but as to Nadir Meerza, 
(the ruler of Mushed), be is a 
fool. Bid Mameish Khan,’ he 
added, ‘ write to Jaafter Khan, 
of Nishapore, and advise that 
chief to solicit my friendship, if 
he wishes to save his country 
from destruction.’ After this ob- 
servation a handsome dress was 
brought for me, with a present 
in money. Every article of the 
dress was good, except the tur- 
ban, which was of little or no 
value. This, however, Beggee 
Jan took himself, giving me his 
own in exchange, which was a 
great deal worse than the one 
brought for me. I took my leave, 
and returned to the tent of Ishan 
Nukeeb, to whom I repeated all 
that had passed. He laughed very 
heartily at the account, made me a 
handsome present; and I was on 
-the point of retiring, whentwo men 
came, at full gallop, with a letter 
from Mameish - Khan, stating, 
that, notwithstanding the pro- 
tection he had received, some of 
his followers had been taken by 
the Usbegs. . Ishan Nukeeb took 
me again to Beggee Jan, whom 
we found seated in his small 
tent, upon a goat’s skin. He 
directed the captives to be 
brought, and made them over to 
me. He had before written a 
letter to Mameish Khan, which 
he re-opened, wrote what he had 
dons, and again committed it to 
my charge. As this affair was 
settling, his cook, a diminutive 
person, with weak eyes, came 
into the tent. ‘Why do not you 
think of dinner ?’ said Beggee Jan, 
“it will soon be time for prayer.’ 
The little cook immediately 
brought a large pot, and making 
