336 Journal kept while travelling in Seistan. [No. 112. 



When minister at Candahar, though lame from his wound, he would 

 never get into a tukhtrewan, because he said, he was no better than 

 any other Douranee. His dress is always plain ; sometimes coarse ; he 

 has never since reaching to manhood dined but in public, and the poorest 

 persons share his dinner, which is usually composed of only mutton 

 broth and bread, but plenty of it. My Meerzas felt much flattered the 

 first night of our arrival by an invitation to dine with the Khan ; but 

 on seeing the fare spread for them, they could not taste it, and always 

 afterwards avoided as much as possible the honour. 



This simplicity of life, as I have before observed ; these unaffected 

 manners ; but above all his hospitality, have gained Shah Pussund Khan, 

 the heart of the Douranees. A Douranee in my presence asked an- 

 other what made Futteh Khan, the vuzeer, so popular? " He was a rob- 

 ber, a liar, a tyrant, and addicted to abominable vices." " One thing 

 more," replied the other, " his bread, his hospitality." 



The hospitality of Shah Pussund is the theme of praise in all the 



countries bordering on Herat, and what renders it 

 Hospitality. . 



the more remarkable is, that he is not esteemed rich ; 



nor can he be so, as Kamraun extorted a good deal of money from him 

 and his country ; for the constant warfare it has been exposed to, can 

 have yielded but little. During my stay in his house — which circum- 

 stances protracted to fifteen days — I could not, though I more than once 

 urged him, with all the arguments in my power, induce him to abandon 

 the expensive kindness of feeding the whole of my establishment. His 

 very mode of bestowing his bounty enhances the value of it. There is no 

 waste, no profusion, every thing is appropriate, and ample. To me a 

 dinner was always served up from the anduroon, and every day different 

 sweetmeats were sent in with the compliments of his son. The 

 Hindus had their grain, ghee, &c. the Mussulmans sheep, — so much 

 apportioned to each man ; even the straw for the horses, for it was a 

 scarce article, and was served out by weight. Besides my party, there 

 were several others, who were all entertained in the same style. There 

 were the servants of Alladad Khan, who accompanied Vikovitch to 

 Teheran and died there, who were conducting the taboat to Candahar. 

 They had been robbed in Seistan, and had fled to Laush for assistance 

 and redress. There was the family of Jooma Khan, brother of the 



