MR. BROWN, THE AFRICAN TRAVELLER. 
275 
waiting our arrival. He had recently arrived from Smyrna, having 
taken a direct route through Asia Minor to Tocat, whence he came by 
Arze Roum and Erivan. His plan was to endeavour to make his way 
into Tartary, to see Balkh and Samarcand if possible, and then to travel 
to India. We had already conversed with the Persian ministers upon 
the nature of such an undertaking, and they were decidedly of opinion 
that it was impossible. Indeed the Grand Vizier, Mirza Sheffea, said 
that he would not give ten shahis for the man’s head who went on a 
journey to Balkh; consequently we did all in our power to dissuade 
Mr. Brown from pursuing his object; but as he persisted, the Ambas¬ 
sador immediately made his intentions known to the Persian ministers, 
who promised him every assistance. A Mehmandar was to conduct 
him to Meshed 5 a firman from the King was to be issued to Mahomed 
Veli Mirza, Prince Governor of that city and of Khorassan, ordering that 
he should be protected, and forwarded onwards to wherever the Persian 
jurisdiction extended. He was dressed as a Turk, and his disguise was 
complete. Knowing how much that nation is hated by the Persians, 
we entreated him not to travel in that dress, but to adopt either 
the English or the Persian; but, naturally enough, he conceived him¬ 
self in safety until he should have reached TeheraU, and he deferred 
making the exchange until then. He departed from Tabriz, escorted 
by two Persian servants whom he had hired for the journey, and went 
to the King’s camp at Ojan to meet his Mehmandar, and to get his 
firman and letters. He was there detained several days, and tired by 
the delay, he set off without his Mehmandar, who was to overtake him 
on the road. He had scarcely been gone a week, when one of his ser¬ 
vants returned, saying that his master had been robbed and murdered. 
Upon investigation we learnt, that on the fourth day’s march from the 
camp, after having crossed the Kizzil Ozan river, he had been attacked 
by a party of ten Persian horsemen, who seized him and his servants, 
blindfolded them, tied their hands behind their backs, and carried them 
to a lonely valley, at some distance from the high road. In the even¬ 
ing they released the servants, but detained Mr. Brown, and placing 
N N 2 
