196 
MAHOMED ALI MIRZA. 
gone out of the city to hunt, on purpose that this visit might take 
place j because it is part of the etiquette of the Persian court, that 
the King’s sons cannot receive visits of ceremony, whilst the King is 
himself in the palace. 
The Imaret Khorsheed, (or the Palace of the Sun,) in which the Prince 
received us, is situated in a garden, behind the great hall of audience 
in which the King daily sits in state on his marble throne, and is 
beautifully ornamented in its interior with marble and paintings. When 
we entered the room in which he was seated, the Grand Vizier ad¬ 
vanced from where he was standing, and pointed to a place about half way 
down the room, where he intended the Ambassador should sit. The 
latter did not heed this, but walked up close to the Prince and seated 
himself upon the same miisnud, to the trepidation of the Vizier and 
astonishment of the Prince, who, although evidently annoyed, gave us 
the usual welcome. 
The Prince in person is of strong make, of a rather vulgar appear¬ 
ance, and of a bad though lively expression of countenance. He 
talked with great animation, with a loud voice, and much gesticu¬ 
lation. There was much acuteness in what he said;—he asked ques¬ 
tions, and then argued upon the answers he received, adhering most 
obstinately to his own opinions, and not hesitating to give the flattest 
contradictions. He seemed however to be quiescent under flattery; for 
when the Ambassador complimented him upon the success of his opera¬ 
tions in the war with the Gourd Abdurakhman Pasha, he became very 
civil, although he affected to treat that war very lightly. “ That was 
“ nothing,” said he ; “ that cannot be called service ; merely doing one’s 
“ duty to the KehleJiAlum, can’t be called a service^ when any of the 
“ Shah’s servants have given their lives for him, then only can it be said 
“ that they have performed a service.” 
The conversation turned upon Yengee Duniah, or America, a subject 
upon which all Persians are very curious and inquisitive. On this topic, 
we were surprized to find the Prince, as the French would say,/crre d 
glace. He appeared to have just been reading the history of America. 
He talked not only with historical but geographical knowledge, which 
