ISTAKBALL AT CASVIN. 
293 
groups presented themselves before the horse of Abbas Mirza, 
as he rode forward: one, a party of wrestlers ; the other, about a 
dozen brawny fellows, displaying their bald heads, and bodies 
bare to the waist, each armed with a couple of wooden machines 
called meals, in shape like a paviour’s rammer, and not much 
lighter in weight; and which they unceasingly whirled in the 
air, with an amazing adroitness, as well as agility; their own, or 
their neighbour’s head, appearing in imminent jeopardy at each 
swing of the club. These Persian athletee in general faced 
the Prince; walking, or rather hopping backwards, during their 
whole exercise, and all the way to the town; excepting, now and 
then, when they relieved themselves of this incommodious retro¬ 
grade motion, by a whirl or two, in company with the circling 
machine above their heads. By degrees, the multitude closed 
in upon us; and the dust, heat, fumes, and noise, arising from 
such a mingling of men and animals, made the abundant honours 
of this istakball so insupportable, that myself, at least, was glad 
to rein in my horse, and escape any increase of the ceremonies. 
These, however, were soon over; and as soon as the royal caval¬ 
cade, with the great mass of people, had squeezed into the city- 
gate, I followed ; and found my mehmandar in waiting, to conduct 
me to my quarters. They were in the house of the learned Persian, 
who is chief governor to the sons of Ali Nackee Mirza, the lovely 
children I had seen ; and it was the first place I had found in Per¬ 
sia, inhabited by a person under the rank of a minister of state, 
where the fitting up wore any appearance of what we might expect 
in a residence of one of the higher orders. Hence we may infer, 
that the preceptors of royalty, in this country, are as much re¬ 
spected as the ministers of state; and, indeed, there are hardly any 
of the latter august characters, in any nation, who hold a more 
