96 
PUNISHMENT OF THIEVES. 
city, which on enquiry we found to be the execution of a thief, who 
had been blown up from the mouth of a mortar. Three Bakhtiarees 
had been condemned to death by the Prince for robbery; one was 
beheaded, and the second blown up. The third was cut in half, and 
the two parts of his body hung over two of the most frequented gates 
of the city, as a warning to other thieves. This horrid spectacle was 
displayed for three days. It illustrates, in some degree, an ancient 
custom, exemplified in the case of Saul, (1 Sam. xxxi. 10.) whose body 
was fastened to the wall of Bethshan by the Philistines. I say “ in 
some degree,” because the analogy is not exact; and, in truth, we 
might find examples (nearer to us both in time and place) which 
resemble the Persian practice more strongly than the case of Saul does. 
Shekeh Kerden is the technical term for this punishment, which consists 
in cutting the body in two, lengthwise*, with a sword, beginning 
between the legs, and terminating on the side of the neck above the 
shoulder. 
During our stay at Shiraz, we became acquainted with several of the 
natives, who frequently visited us in our tents ; and I found considerable 
amusement in the conversation of many of them, particularly in their 
remarks upon our mode of life. An Ethiopian eunuch, among the rest, 
became quite intimate with us, and scarcely let a day pass without call¬ 
ing upon us. He had been brought very young a slave into the 
country, and had been placed in the Harem of the Prince as a guardian 
over the women. All his ideas partook of the nature of his employ¬ 
ment, and of his constant intercourse with women. He used to evince 
the greatest incredulity at the account which we gave him of the liberty 
of our women ; and he particularly expressed his horror, when we told 
him that they walked abroad unveiled, and talked with impunity to 
other men besides their husbands. I once showed him a miniature 
picture of my mother. After looking at it for some time, he exclaimed, 
“ Then I suppose your father is a painter !” When I answered “ No,” 
in great astonishment he said, “ Then who could have painted this 
See Heb. xi. 37. — “ Sawn asunder^’ 
