202 
TEHERAN. 
justice. At length the Envoy produced the precedent of treaties signed 
at Constantinople, where the form is invariably used. They acquiesced 
immediately: but another difficulty succeeded, “ Should the year of 
our Lord precede the Hejera f* The Secretary proposed that in our 
copy of the Treaty, our era should stand first, and that the order 
should be reversed in that which they were to keep. At last the 
Minister, who suspected that the Secretary was inclined to create 
difficulties, finished every argument by declaring that “as Jesus 
“ Christ lived before Mahomed, there could be no doubt but that 
“ his tarikh should stand first." The Secretary, who is esteemed one 
of the first composers, and one of the best penmen in Persia, resisted 
the plainness of the language, which Sir Harford dictated for the 
insertion of the date, and produced something so unlike a diploma¬ 
tic style, and so full of figurative expressions, that it was rejected 
totally on our parts. Mirza Sheffeea then took up the pen, and 
drew up a simpler formulary, which, with a few emendations, was 
admitted. The Secretary was then desired to copy it into the Treaty; 
but he seemed indignant to find that a date was only to be plain 
matter of fact, and begged hard to make it a little finer. Mirza 
Sheffeea however desired him to write as he had written, and this 
was at length accomplished m with great difficulty. Then came the 
business of signing. The Prime Minister, Mirza Sheffeea, first took 
up the pen, and put down his own name and that of his brother Plenipo¬ 
tentiary, who was unable to sign himself. After signing, came sealing. 
The Secretary applied the seals, Mirza Sheffeea crying out to 
him, Bezun, Beznn , or, “ strike, strike,” as if he had been striking a 
bargain in the bazar. In the act of signing and sealing the parties 
made frequent exclamations, such as, “ God grant the friendship 
“ between the two states may be binding!” “ May this prove a for- 
“ tunate day.” “ Let us hope that nothing may ever break this bond.” 
To all which every one present emphatically and repeatedly resounded 
“ Inch Allah / God grant it!” 
