14S 
ENTERTAINMENT TO THE EMBASSY. 
as matiy sheep are also killed in private houses, if we call the popula¬ 
tion of Ispahan 60,000, we shall not perhaps be very far from the truth. 
In making my enquiries upon this subject, I learnt that after the 
sheep has been killed, divested of its skin, and ready to be carried away 
by the butcher to his own shop, it is then marked with a composition 
of red clay on a conspicuous part of the body, and that this operation 
is called mohur kerden, or sealing, from its being stamped with a piece 
of wood cut out in the shape of a seal.^ This shows that the dues 
have been paid to the government, and that the butcher is at liberty to 
sell the meat. 
It was fixed that at the end of August the Ameen-ad-Dowlah was 
to give an entertainment to the Ambassador and suite; and on the day 
appointed, as is usual in Persia, a messenger came to us at about five 
o’clock in the evening to bid us to the feast. I might make use of 
Scriptural language to commence my narration: A certain man made 
a great sujyper^ and hade many; and sent his servant at supper time to say 
to them that were bidden. Come, for all things are ready. Luke, xiv. 16 
and 17. The difficulty which infidels have made to the passage of 
which this is the commencement, arises from the apparent harshness 
of asking people to an entertainment, and giving them no option, by 
punishing them in fact for their refusal. Whereas all the guests to 
whom when the supper was ready the servant was sent, had already 
accepted the invitation, and were therefore already pledged to appear 
at the feast, at the hour when they might be summoned. They were 
not taken unprepared; and could not in consistency or decency plead 
any prior engagement. On alighting at the house, we were conducted 
through mean and obscure passages to a small square court, surrounded 
by apartments, which were the habitation of the women, who had been 
dislodged on the occasion ; and as we entered into a low room, we there 
found our host waiting for us, with about a dozen more of his friends. 
The Ambassador was placed in the corner of honour, near the win¬ 
dow, and the Ameen-ad-Dowlah next to him, on his left hand. The 
* 
See Harmer, vol. i. p. cxxi. ob. x. 
