HISTORY OF THE SHEIK OF BUSHIRE. 
21 
force the immediate repayment of the capital and interest, which toge¬ 
ther had swelled to twenty-eight thousand tomauns , a sum nearly equal 
to the same number of pounds sterling. To save his authority, and 
perhaps his head, the Sheik endeavoured to accommodate the present 
difficulty by offering to pay down five thousand tomauns , and to secure 
the rest by instalments. This, however, was refused; and the unfortu¬ 
nate Sheik accordingly gave immediate and public notice of the sale of 
his effects, his horses, mules, and asses; and in the course of a few 
days raised fifty thousand piastres. 
Still the hope of a less rigorous arrangement was not entirely ex¬ 
cluded : the Sheik , attended by the principal men of the town, and with 
a strong guard (so stationed that the signal of a moment could bring 
them to his assistance) visited the Khan. The Khan indeed had sworn 
that he would not molest the Sheik “ at present ” though, when asked 
to extend the oath to every visit or opportunity, he replied that he would 
not answer for the directions which he might receive from his govern¬ 
ment. Two days after the visit, we observed a party of forty horsemen 
arrive at the Khans encampment, who probably bore the last orders of 
the Court. 
On the 25th of Oct. the Envoy received an intimation of a visit, 
jointly from the Sheik and the Nasackchee Bashee; but he was so much 
occupied, that at the time he could not accept it. In a few minutes 
after we heard a great commotion among the servants, and an outer}” 
that the Sheik was seized. By the assistance, indeed, of our glasses we 
perceived the unfortunate ntan, with his arms pinioned, surrounded by 
about twenty horsemen, and dragged away at full speed towards the 
Shiraz road. It appeared, that trusting in this conditional oath of the 
Khan , the Sheik had accepted his invitation to visit with him the 
Envoy, and had gone forth from the town escorted by five men only. 
On his way to the Envoy, he called for the Khan; and when they were 
both mounted, the Khan cried out to his men to seize, disarm, and 
carry off their prisoner. 
The consternation of the town was immediate and general. Mr, 
