16 TRAVEL, ADVENTUEE, AND SPORT. 



disfavour; and having had experience of this, we 

 were fully prepared to receive what the Persians 

 deem a cold reception at the hands of the authorities 

 of a large town like Shiraz. It was consequently no 

 great disappointment to us in fact, it was rather a 

 relief than otherwise, to be left entirely to ourselves ; 

 and besides, we had had considerable experience 

 during our twelve months in Persia of Vizeers and 

 governors, sherbets, pipes, and sweetmeats. But 

 though we secretly rejoiced, our servants were bit- 

 terly grieved at such a state of affairs. Our head- 

 man stretched every point to establish amicable rela- 

 tions. He swore by Allah, and by his beard, and by 

 the souls of his children yet unborn, that our party of 

 five was a sublime mixture of noble lords and general 

 officers, and that, consequently, we were entitled to 

 be treated with especial honour and profound respect ; 

 and, really anxious to bring about an interchange of 

 visits, he added that we would, with a condescension 

 such as was quite unusual with us, advance more than 

 the ordinary number of steps to meet the Lord High 

 Treasurer, who, he insisted, should pay us the first 

 visit on behalf of his lord and master the Prince- 

 Governor. Our servant, who rejoiced in the name 

 of Gaffar Beg (which means literally the Knight 

 Pardoner; we christened him "the Pardoner" in 

 consequence), found, after three or four days, that his 

 eloquence was completely thrown away as he finally 

 confessed himself, "he was talking to people who 



