522 SETS FORTH ON A PARTING VISIT TO TEHERAN. 
rienced, as well as my royal host’s wishes, determined me to 
make a second visit to Teheran, and pay my parting respects to 
the Shah before I proceeded farther in his dominions. There¬ 
fore, in the language of some doughty follower of that renowned 
Arab Cidi Hamet Benengeli, I may report myself “ as once 
more collecting my people, horses, mules, and trusty squire, 
and, one fine morning towards the close of April, like the knight 
of la Mancha, sallying forth again, over mountain, dale and 
desert; in search of fame and honours at the court of a great 
king of the East.” 
My road lay over the same country I had travelled, rather 
more than a year ago, in company with the prince. At that 
time the face of nature was white with snow, excepting where 
the multitudes in our train tracked its surface with widely scat¬ 
tered groups, or long dark columns winding along the heights 
and depths. Now, all was smiling spring; the hills and vales 
were green ; and the young shoots every where putting out their 
tender leaves. Numerous cavalcades were no longer visible; 
nor was the clangor of the trumpet heard in the morning to 
rouse us to march : but the husbandman and the plough were 
in sight; and the young birds awaked us with their carols, even 
before the peep of day. Thus we travelled on, without any 
redoubtable adventure befalling us, until the evening of the 
fourteenth day of our journeying delivered us safely into the 
gates of the city of the Great King. 
Proceeding immediately to the British residence, I was again 
welcomed by the charge d’affaires ; and found my European 
friends there, Dr. Sharp, Major MTntosh, &c. all in excellent 
health and spirits. Next morning I paid my visits to the Saddcir 
Mirza ShefFy, and the Ameen-a-Dowlah; and soon after was 
admitted to the honour of an audience of his majesty. I held 
