MR. WILLOCK’S ARRIVAL. 
385 
near Asseran. From Goursefid, where we were encamped, we had an 
excellent view of the mountain of Demawend, bearing N, 69W. 
The next day we again came to Firouz Koh. Here we learnt that 
the King was preparing to return, and that arrangements were making 
for his reception, as it was his intention to dismiss his troops and 
pass ten days among the rocks of Sawachi, for the purpose of hunting 
the wild goat. A messenger passed us in great haste for Teheran, 
charged, as we were told, with the commission of bringing up the 
Bazigers, or dancing-women, to greet his Majesty on his arrival at 
Firouz Koh. 
We returned to Demawend to wait the arrival of my successor 
Mr. Willock, whose appointment had long been announced from Eng¬ 
land; and on the 17th September Iliad the satisfaction to see him. 
He had completed the journey in only 60 days. We immediately re¬ 
turned to Teheran, to wait the King’s return from his campaign, and to 
make preparations for my leaving Persia. 
Finding that the new arrangements which had been made by the 
English Government in regard to the Persian mission were not very 
agreeable to the Persians, I determined to do all in my power to 
leave them in as good a humour as possible with us; and consequently 
immediately assented to an invitation made me by Mirza Sheffea, 
to meet His Majesty on the day of his entry into the capital. The 
Istakball, that was preparing was to be of the most splendid nature ; and 
perhaps it was intended to cloak the little brilliancy of the late cam¬ 
paign by the excess of adulation that was made to the King upon his 
return from it. 
In the first place, as in ancient times, almost the whole of the male 
population of the city was ordered to meet the King and very early 
in the morning of the day of the entry, the environs on the road to 
Khorassan were covered with people. We were summoned by the 
Prime Minister in person, who was so anxious that we should be at our 
post at the earliest moment, that he came almost unattended to us; 
and having marshalled our procession, he led the way, and served us 
* Quint. Curt. lib. v. c. 1. 
3 D 
