220 
THE ORIENTAL ANNUAL. 
be found. The captive replied, that before the engage- 
ment he had sent all the wealth of himself and his 
followers to Herat, lest it should fall into the hands 
of his enemies. Ishmael considered that the property 
had become his by right of conquest ; and immediately 
marched to Herat, and demanded that it should be 
delivered up ; but receiving no satisfactory reply, he 
laid siege to the city, and the inhabitants surrendered 
on express conditions of immunity. Still the treasure 
was not to be found, and his followers, being in 
arrears, became clamorous for pay; so that their 
commander was again compelled to put them off witli 
promises. At last, the necessities both of the officers 
and men becoming exceedingly urgent, it was inti- 
mated to their chief, that the population being very 
large, he might raise an ample sum by levying a 
trifling tax upon each man. The virtuous Ishmael, 
with a rectitude which reflects unfading lustre upon 
his memory, rejected with scorn the dishonourable 
proposal, observing that, having pledged himself to 
protect the people, nothing should induce him to 
exact from them the smallest article of their property. 
Then, lest his followers should infringe, without his 
licence, the terms of treaty which he had made with 
the Heratis, he withdrew his camp to a distance from 
the place. Here his generals again assailed him with 
importunities on the same subject ; when he addressed 
them in these memorable words : — “ That great 
Being, who, with the lash of destiny, impelled the 
