KOOMISHAH. 
33 
overtaken by Hadge Bachire, who told us that he was hastening 
on to Koomishah that night; but in his course through Mexio- 
beggy, where we proposed to halt, he would order that the house 
built for the travelling reception of his royal mistress, should be 
made ready for our arrival. We thanked him for his promise ; 
and found it duly performed, with an excellent supper prepared 
for our board, and sleeping apartments clean and comfortable. 
Indeed, since the avant couriers of Abbas Mirza preceded my 
steps, I never had been so attentively and sumptuously provided; 
and felt no little obligation for myself and companions, to the 
disinterested hospitality of the generous Abyssinian. He was 
brought a boy from his native country, and sold to a master in 
Persia, where he was soon rendered capable of fulfilling all the 
most delicate duties of the Anderoon. Good talents, and as 
worthy moral qualities, brought him with credit from post to 
post, till at last fixing him where he is, in the royal household, 
he became possessed of the most powerful influence at Shiraz; 
and is now reported to be rich, both in money and landed 
property. 
August 21st.— The extreme heat of the day on the morrow, 
detained us in our particularly pleasant quarters till five o’clock 
in the evening; and then, under a cooler temperature, we 
leisurely proceeded on our way, and reached Koomishah about 
half-past nine o’clock at night. The dreariness of the far- 
stretching ruins was dismally increased by the shadowy hour of 
our approach; and being again in the region of the Bactriani 
descents, our own flitting shades as we passed between old 
mouldering walls and the moonlight, sometimes bore an alarm¬ 
ing interpretation. Our mehmandar was ready to embattle every 
frowning heap with a murderous legend; but Sedak Beg re- 
VOL. II. 
F 
