20 
MOUNTAIN KHAN. 
“ still on hospitable thoughts intent,” he proposed serving us in 
a different way; as we would not delay, to facilitate our safe pas¬ 
sage over the neighbouring dangerous mountain, and its depen¬ 
dencies* To this end, he advised our starting early ; to get clear 
of the pass, and most perilous defiles before sun-set; for after 
nightfall, such formidable bands of determined ruffians belonging 
to the Mamazany tribe beset every path, it is almost impossible 
for the strongest guard to promise any certain security. This 
might be true; though we had a shrewd guess that all the 
marauders likely to meet us, might not be of the Mamazany 
race; and our gratitude rose in proportion to the good faith 
with which our mountain host manoeuvred to protect the gear 
of his late guests from falling, perhaps, into his own coffers. 
Adopting the Khan’s advice, and accepting a safe-conduct, we 
remounted our horses at three o’clock, and, escorted by a 
sturdy band of musqueteers, commenced our march. 
Almost instantly on quitting the tents, we began to rise the 
side of the mountain that overshadows Ossipus. When a little 
way up, I looked back, to take a farewell glance of the vale of 
Persian and British heroes; the scene of Baharam’s death, the 
seat of Shirley’s government. And why may it not have been 
the field of heroes far anterior to those of the Sassanian race ? 
and originally been so named, from the famous hunting expe¬ 
dition of Merodach, prince of Assyria and Babylon ! Xenophon 
tells us, it took place on some plain, celebrated for game, near the 
frontiers of the empire; and ending (like our Chevy Chace) in a 
fray between the Persian chivalry and that of the invaders, first 
“ fleshed the maiden sword” of the young Cyrus in the breasts 
of his country’s enemies. Whether this idea could be supported 
by any closer geographical argument, I did not take time on 
