SHIRAZ TO BUSHIRE. 73 



well-grown stalwart young fellow. In addition to 

 being heavily armed, he carried an English fowling- 

 piece in his hand. He told us in the most matter-of- 

 fact way that, ten days previous to our arrival, he 

 had, after some hard fighting, turned out the late 

 governor of the town, and had himself assumed the 

 governorship of the district. He added, with a grin, 

 that the late governor was both his father-in-law and 

 his uncle, but that, notwithstanding this close rela- 

 tionship, he was out nearly every day with his fol- 

 lowers, in the hopes of either catching him or shoot- 

 ing him ! Upon our suggesting that such conduct on 

 the part of a nephew was strange, he said, " Che urz 

 mi kunum ! " " What can I do ? it is the Shah's 

 order ! and inshallah, by the grace of God, his 

 majesty's order shall be obeyed." The uncle, we 

 learned, was wandering about the mountains with 

 some hundred followers who had remained true to 

 him. Our young friend had come across them once, 

 and a fight had ensued. One man on each side 

 having been killed, the combatants withdrew, and 

 had not met since. Thus matters were on our 

 arrival. On our inquiring as to who the late gover- 

 nor was, we learned he was the same man who had 

 been a prisoner in Sir James Outram's camp. When 

 the town was taken possession of by our troops, the 

 governor gave himself up. On peace being declared, 

 he was returned with the other prisoners, and finally 

 reinstated in his former appointment as governor of 



