HIS INDEPENDENT LOYALTY. 
487 
ought to be more dear to a man than his independence to a just 
degree ; since without it, he is not master of himself: and the 
khan and his sons, in the midst of their loyal conversations, and 
hospitable welcomes, were so anxious to maintain the dis¬ 
tinction between the devotedness of attachment and that of 
necessity, they were continually reminding me they were Courds , 
therefore all they professed to prince , or guest , was from the heart! 
They are of the Mickri tribe; but having been much at the 
Persian court, are greatly softened down from the naturally 
fierce aspect of their race. This gentler demeanour, with the 
black sheep-skin cap of Persia, made their outward appearance 
perfectly that of “ the great kingdom.” I found the young 
men full of good nature and frank gaiety, impatient to amuse 
me to the utmost of their power; for a continuance of the 
tempestuous weather had obliged me to comply with the press¬ 
ing entreaties of the old chief, that I “ would tarry with him 
yet another day !” and the second son particularly, descanted 
on military subjects. He expatiated with great satisfaction on 
the ancient arms of his nation, telling me, that still many in 
the tribes wear the chain-mail and helmet; and, as an instance, 
he mentioned that when General Yarmolloff’s embassy was in 
Persia, upwards of 600 Courds thus armed, and under the com¬ 
mand of Bonda Khan, attended the Shah at the imperial camp 
of Sultania. My young orator ended his account by ordering 
one of his father’s men to equip himself in the dress ; and so 
shew me an old Courdish soldier in complete fighting harness. 
His shirt of mail was bright, and closely riveted, and orna¬ 
mented in various parts with small roses embossed in silver. 
The helmet consisted of a skull-cap of damasked steel. It had 
a gilt nasal-defence, capable of being lowered or elevated, by 
