BUSHIRE tO SHIRAZ. 
69 
blowing the reveille, and the voice of a Persian priest calling the faithful 
to prayers: lungs originally strong had been so disciplined and exer¬ 
cised for the purpose, that the voice was more potent than the 
trumpet. 
Our Mehmandcir , Mahomed Zeky Khan, arrived on the 10th; we 
went out to meet him, attended by the body guard in their best array, 
and accompanied by a host of Persians. As the preparations for our 
journey were now completed, the 17th Dec. 1808 was fixed for our de¬ 
parture. On the 16 th the Ternate, Lieut. Sealy, sailed for Bombay 
with the Envoy's dispatches to the Indian government; and on the next 
day the Sapphire, which was appointed to convey the dispatches to 
England, proceeded to Kharrack to take in water for the voyage. 
All our arrangements were closed; and on the same morning, at a 
quarter past eleven o’clock, the Envoy mounted his horse to proceed 
from Bushire. In order to excite in the people a favourable expectation 
of the result of the mission, he had previously desired the astrologers to 
mention the time which they might deem lucky for his departure; and 
the hour accordingly in which we begun our journey was pronounced, by 
their authority, to be particularly fortunate. Sir Harford Jones’s 
suite consisted of Mr. Sheridan, Mr. Bruce, Captain Suther¬ 
land, Cornet Willock, Dr. Jukes, and myself. He had two Swiss 
servants and an English groom, an English and a Portuguese tailor, 
about half a dozen Indians, and a very numerous assortment of 
Persians. 
The Sapphire saluted us as we set out; shortly after we met the Meh- 
mandar and his cortege, and after some little exchange of civilities we 
all went on together. The order of the cavalcade was as follows :■—The 
led horses, ten in number, each conducted by a well-clad jelowdar or 
groom; then the chief of the jelowdars with his staff of office; then 
the arz-beg or lord of requests; after him were six chatters or running 
footmen, who immediately preceded the Envoy. The Envoy himself 
was mounted on a choice Arab horse; at his right stirrup walked a 
picked tall chatter , the chief of his class. Then followed the gentlemen of 
