S89 
CHAPTER XXV. 
Me. Willock was the bearer of the Prince Regent’s ratification of the 
definitive treaty of peace, that had been concluded by Mr. Ellis and 
myself with the Persian plenipotentiaries, as well as of a letter from 
the Prince Regent to the Shah. He also brought my letter of re¬ 
call. 
As it was necessary to deliver the ratification and the letters with 
proper solemnity, I requested that His Majesty would fix the time 
and place for receiving them j and as the Persians never under¬ 
take any thing without consulting the heavens, I was informed that 
the astrologers had just found that a lucky hour would intervene 
on the following day, when we were to be introduced into the royal 
presence. The King being aware that this ratification fixed the rela¬ 
tions between the two countries, he resolved to make the solemnity 
more remarkable by receiving us in a new building, in which he had 
never yet seated himself, and which was yet scarcely habitable. 
We went in great state, and in order to reach the new palace were 
taken through little dirty lanes, encumbered with the materials of 
masonry. In our way through them, we met Ali Shah and Hossein 
Ali Mirza, two of the King’s sons, who were on foot, surrounded 
by their attendants, some of whom in the most peremptory manner 
ordered us to get off our horses. Considering the public object 
of our visit to the King, we resisted their request, and were per¬ 
mitted to proceed without undergoing that ceremony. Alighting at 
a small gate, and having disposed ourselves in proper procession, we 
were paraded in presence of His Majesty by Mirza Sheffea, Mr. Wil¬ 
lock carrying the letter, and I the ratification. We found the King 
seated in one corner of a large and cheerful room, handsomely 
ornamented with paintings. Pie received us with some suitable 
speeches, expressive of his hopes that nothing would ever happen 
to alter the happy union that at present existed between our two 
