Aclieem 4<'47 



" Tlie gun was some 1 1 feet long, the diameter of the bore was 

 23-5 incheS;, and the metal at the month only about 2"35 inches 

 thick. Alongside the gnu lay two round shot cut from blocks of 

 granite. The gun does not appear to have ever been used, and 

 although lying unmounted, exposed to all weathers, is in a wonder- 

 fully good state of preservation. The iron guns were apparently 

 made in the country. Many years ago, they were manufactured 

 (so I was told) by a Turk from Constantinople, who after he had 

 made as many guns as the then reiguing Sultan required, or 

 could afford, had had his head chopped off in lieu of payment, 

 and to prevent him from making guns for any neighbouring 

 State. ' 



" The present Sultan is an ill-conditioned, weedy, seedy, looking 

 lad, about 18 or 19 years old ; although so young, he has a harem 

 of some sixteen " houris." He is only nominally Sultan, (the 

 real power being in the hands of his uncle, a handsome and very 

 intelligent looking man), but every deference is paid to him, at 

 least in public, and this is apparently carried to such an extent 

 that none of his subjects dare address him except in a loud 

 whisper. At an audience given to General Stewart at which I 

 was present, it was amusing to see how every question and 

 answer passed through several mouths before reaching its destina- 

 tion. At one end of the audience chamber, if the only partially 

 enclosed, and withal very disreputable looking building can be 

 so termed, sat the Sultan, and at the other sat General Stewart. 

 On the Sultanas right hand sat his uncle and prime minister, and 

 between him and General S., stood three interpreters. General 

 Stewart spoke to the one closest to him, in an ordinary tone, and 

 I have no doubt but that the Sultan comprehended the purport 

 of what was said, as he is understood to know Urdoo* The first 

 man after saluting the Sultan by raising both his hands with the 

 palms placed together to his forehead and humming and hawino* 

 in a manner to give one the idea that he was about to choke, 

 finally passed the message on to the man next him in a scarcely 

 audible whisper, and so on till it reached the Prime Minister, who 

 after saluting him in a similar fashion, whispered to the Sultan 

 who seldom spoke more than a few words, often merely noddino- 

 or shaking his head in reply. He seemed to be perfectly indifferent^ 

 and appeared to think the whole proceeding a bore. 



" The Audience Hall was about 20 feet long by ten or twelve 

 feet wide, badly carpeted with a few rugs and pieces of carpet, of 

 divers hues and patterns ; the walls were ornamented with some 

 very old fashioned brass-mounted blunderbusses, with all the 

 brass ornamentation in a high state of polish; a guard was 

 drawn up along one side, consisting of a most motley set Of men 



