590 SHAH ABBAS AND TURKISH OFFICERS. 
by which means a great accession of room and air is admitted. 
The numbers of men who occupy each tent are the same as with 
us. While thus sojourning on the warlike plain of Ouroomia, 
so fine an Asiatic array, with a British officer at its head, and 
its own brave Persian prince in its heart, could not fail recalling 
to me the page of history, and the military advantages acquired 
by his great predecessor of the same name, when a Briton was 
also in his councils and his camp. Indeed, the scene suggested 
to my memory an anecdote concerning that gallant Shah, which 
I cannot resist repeating here. The circumstances took place 
only a little more to the northward, and when the Persians were 
at war with the Turks. 
The Ottoman troops were collecting on the frontiers ; and 
Shah Abbas, in order to watch their movements, had encamped 
on the banks of the Kur. Some short time previous to the 
opening of actual hostilities, the king was one day standing near 
the river with two or three of his generals ; a little party of 
Turkish officers on the opposite shore, not guessing them to be 
any thing else than Persians of similar rank, gaily invited them to 
cross, and like good comrades partake of soldiers’ fare. Abbas, 
with the spirit of chivalry natural to the highest order of the 
brave, accepted the offer; passed the river with his generals ; 
was well entertained; and, at parting, in his turn gave a warm 
invitation to his new friends. “We will attend you with plea¬ 
sure,” cried one of them; “ but you must promise to contrive 
us a glance at your brave young king, whose fame already sets 
graver heroes on their mettle!” Abbas smiled, and said he 
O 
would do all in his power to gratify them. Accordingly, when 
they made their appearance within the Persian line, and arrived 
at the spot appointed by the king, where they indeed found 
