222 PURCHASE OF CAMELS FOR MILITARY PURPOSES. 



Kouli, whom he had left to govern in his absence as viceroy:* ''All 

 oiir desires have long sought this day. After providing a guard for 

 the camp, and invoking the aid of the all powerful Creator, we mount- 

 ed and marched to battle. For two hours the battle raged with fury, 

 and a heavy fire of cannon and musketry was kej)t up without inter- 

 mission. Then, by the aid of the Supreme Being, our heroes, lion 

 hunters, broke the enemy's line, drove him from the field of battle, 

 and pursued him in every direction. The battle lasted two hours, 

 and for more than two hours and a half our soldiers, victorious, pur- 

 sued the enemy. An hour before the close of day the enemy had 

 been entirely driven from the field of battle, but, as his camp was 

 strongly intrenched and defended by high fortifications, we could not 

 instantly assault it." — {History of Persia, hy Sir John Malcolm.) 



From the death of Nadir Shah to the reorganization of the Persian 

 army in our time, the artillery of the zemboureks has always been 

 actively employed in the several wars, in which it perfectly filled the 

 place of our field artillery. Far from requiring, as ours, scientific and 

 exclusive(*) studies, the artillery of the zemboureks requires for its 

 service only the simple knowledge of a common infantry soldier. The 

 zembouretchis (artillerists) being taken from the camel-drivers, the 

 management and care of the animal is familiar to them, so that they 

 require only a litt'e practice in manoeuvring together, which is readily 

 taught in camp or on the march. As for the siege of towns, which 

 rarely embraces more than an investment to intercept provisions, this 

 artillery would be more than sufficient, as there are in Persia only a 

 few towns regularly fortified, and these even more so by nature than 

 by art, the rest having only ramparts of earth flanked by turrets 

 stroDg enough to resist cavalry. The following account by a Persian 

 author will give a fair idea of these fortifications : 



" In 1724, (1137,) after the reduction of Neike-Kale, Nadir marched 

 against the castle of Bagvade, the stronghold of the tribe Kenderlon, 

 and closely besieged for three months. He enclosed it with mines, 

 which he caused to be worked with the utmost diligence. When the 

 garrison discovered the imminent danger that threatened it, it pre- 

 j)ared to inundate the mine, but too late ; it had already been sprung. 

 The workmen all perished, nnd a portion of the wall fell. Notwith- 

 standing, the garrison held out, and crowning the breach, held it 

 against the enemy. This attack having failed. Nadir built around 

 the castle a dyke three cubits wide and nine high, through which he 

 turned a river. The flow of water was so violent, that in two hours 

 the foundations of the walls began to give way, and the fort became 

 in the midst of the torrent like a great lake. * * * * "phg gar- 

 rison saw its fortunate star go down in the aquatic sign." 



* This young prince paid very dear for the precocious talent he exhibited ; for, on the veturn 

 of the Shah, some malcontents having fired at him, Riza Kouli was accused of complicity to 

 his father, who had his eyes put out. Upon the execution of this barbarous order, the un- 

 fortunate young man exclaimed "Ah, sire, it is not my eyes, but those of Persia, you have 

 put out." Afterwards, the tyrant, feeling remorse for this horrible act, and in expiation of 

 it, slaughtered a hundred noblemen of his court accused only of having been present by his 

 order at the cruel execution. 



" This is the reason why the eastern powers have always been obliged to employ European 

 artillery officers. Mirza Mehdi calls it " that deadly Christian invention," 



