ARRIVAL AT THE PRINCE’S CAMP. 
239 
right and left of which were several large pavilions, belonging to the 
Vizier, Secretaries, military and civil officers; and behind all, were the 
numerous small tents of the Prince’s household. On the left flank was 
stationed the artillery, and on the right the Persian cavalry. At a 
small distance, in a hollow, was situated the ordou bazar, or the camp 
market, which, as in the days of Cyrus*, always accompanies the 
camp, and is regulated in the same manner as it was of oldf, and 
where provisions were brought from all the country round. The Em¬ 
bassy encamped about half a mile in the rear of the Prince’s camp. 
At a short distance, near the road side, we saw the burial-place of*^ 
a Persian saint, enclosed by very rude walls. Close to it grew a small 
bush, upon the branches of which were tied a variety of rags and rem¬ 
nants of garments. The Persians conceive that these rags, from their 
vicinity to the saint, acquire peculiar preservative virtues against sick¬ 
ness ; and substituting others, they take bits away, and, tying them 
about their persons, use them as talismans. May not this custom 
have some distant reference to that which is recorded of the Apostle 
Paul ? “ And God wrought special miracles by the hands of Paul; so 
“ that from his body were brought unto the sick, handkerchiefs or aprons, 
“ and the diseases departed from them, and the evil spirits went out of 
themP Acts, xix. 11 and 12. 
The Ambassador, attended by his suite, visited the Prince two days 
after his arrival; and we were, as usual, highly delighted with the 
reception he gave us, with his amiable manners, and his lively con¬ 
versation. In the rapid manner peculiar to him, he skimmed over 
a variety of subjects with a humour and vivacity that would be 
lost in the recital, particularly when rendered into English. He first 
talked of the Uzbeg Tatars; and we had agreed with him in the 
facility of conquering them, possessed as Persia now was of good artil¬ 
lery, when he exclaimed, “ Ah! it would indeed be an easy matter! 
“ What do they know of guns, or manoeuvres, and of firing ten times in 
* Anabasis, lib. i. c. 3. 
f Cyropaedia, lib. iv. c. 5. 
