114 
SHIRAZ. 
was introduced into the particular apartment where we were seated. 
A player on the kamouncha really drew forth notes, which might have 
done credit to the better instruments of the West: and the elastic man¬ 
ner with which he passed his bow across the strings, convinced me that 
he himself would have been an accomplished performer even among 
those of Europe, if his ear had been tutored to the harmonies and deli¬ 
cacies of our science. The notes of their guitar corresponded exactly 
to those of our instrument. Another sung some of the odes of 
Hafiz, accompanied by the kamouncha , and in a chorus by the 
tamborins. 
After this concert, some parts of which were extremely noisy and 
some not unpleasant even to our ears, appeared from behind a curtain 
a dirty-looking negro, dressed as a fakeer or beggar, with an artificial 
hump, and with his face painted white. This character related facetious 
stories, threw himself into droll attitudes, and sung humorous songs. 
Amongst other things he was a mimic; and, when he undertook to ridi¬ 
cule the inhabitants of Ispahan he put our Shiraz audience into ecsta- 
cies of delight and laughter. He imitated the drawling manner of 
speaking, and the sort of nonchalance so characteristic of the 
Ispahaunees. The people of Shiraz, (who regard themselves as the 
prime of Persians, and their language as the most pure, and their pro¬ 
nunciation as the most correct), are never so well amused as when the 
people and the dialect of Ispahan are ridiculed. Those of Ispahan , on 
the other hand, boast, and with much reason, of their superior clever¬ 
ness and learning, though with these advantages indeed they are said 
to mix roguery and low cunning. The exhibition finished by the sing¬ 
ing of a boy, the most renowned of the vocal performers at Shiraz , 
and one of the Prince’s own band. His powers were great, descending 
from the very highest to the very lowest notes; and the tremulations of 
his voice, in which the great acme of his art appeared to consist, were 
continued so long and so violently, that his face was convulsed with 
pain and exertion. In order to aid the modulations, he kept a piece of 
paper in his hand, with which he did not cease to fan his mouth. When 
