92 
PERSIAN MUSICIANS. 
sessing so much as to excite the cupidity of his governors. A good 
horse, a good sword, and a “ cypress waist,” were the sum of all hi^ 
desires. 
We were treated during this visit with the best fruits, sweetmeats, 
ices, and sherbets. The fruits now in season were the small apricot, 
the white mulberry, and a plum, called in Persian Gourji; neither of 
which we found good. Indeed they were scarcely in season ; but the 
Persians, who are very fond of unripe fruit, pluck it from the tree be¬ 
fore it comes to maturity. They are much prejudiced in favour of 
their own fruit, and would not allow that we could possess any in our 
country which could bear a competition with theirs. The Persian Am¬ 
bassador when in England preserved his national feeling towards the 
fruits of Persia j and when a comparison happened to be made between 
the two countries, he exclaimed, “ ’Tis true that we have not such fine 
houses, adorned with looking-glasses, as you have, no carriages, nor. 
are we so rich; but we have better fruit, and we always see the sun.” 
Our new Mehmandar, who appeared jealous of the pleasure we took 
in the company of his predecessor, was very anxious that the Ambas¬ 
sador should accent of an entertainment from him; and he therefore in¬ 
vited us to a breakfast, in which he strove to outvie the attentions we had 
received from the other. He treated us with a concert, performed by 
four musicians: one of whom played on the Kamounche ; a second sang, 
fanning his mouth with a piece of paper to aid the undulations of his 
voice ; the third was a tambourine player ; and the last beat two little 
drums, placed on the ground before him. They were the best musi¬ 
cians of Shiraz; and although to us their music was of too noisy a na¬ 
ture to be agreeable, yet it was rapture to the Persians, in whose faces 
we could trace great feelings of delight. 
Some days after, the Prince of Shiraz went in his greatest state to 
Kalaat Poushan, there to meet and be invested with the dress of ho¬ 
nour, which was sent to him by the King, on the festival of No-Rooz. 
Although the day of the festival had long elapsed, yet the ceremony 
did not take place until this time, as the astrologers did not announce 
a day sufficiently fortunate for the performance of an act of so much 
