hese, a small body of pilgrims bound to the
tomb of Imam Reza at Meshed joined the caravan, and gave a character of
sanctity to the procession of which its other members were happy to take
advantage, considering in what high estimation persons bound upon so
laudable a purpose as a pilgrimage are always supposed to be held.

Every man on these occasions is armed, and my master, who always turned
his head away whenever a gun was fired, and became pale at the sight of
a drawn sword, now appeared with a long carbine slung obliquely across
his back, and a crooked sword by his side, whilst a pair of huge pistols
projected from his girdle; the rest of his surface was almost made up of
the apparatus of cartouch-boxes, powder-flasks, ramrods, &c. I also
was armed cap-a-pie, only in addition to what my master carried, I was
honoured by wielding a huge spear. The black slave had a sword with only
half a blade, and a gun without a lock.

We started at break of day from the northern suburb of Ispahan, led by
the _chaoushes_[3] of the pilgrimage, who announced our departure by
loud cries and the beating of their copper drums. We soon got acquainted
with our fellow travellers, who were all armed; but who, notwithstanding
their martial equipment, appeared to be very peaceably disposed persons.
I was delighted with the novelty of the scene, and could not help
galloping and curvetting my horse to the annoyance of my master, who in
a somewhat crabbed tone, bid me keep in mind that the beast would not
last the journey if I wore it out by unseasonable feats of horsemanship.
I soon became a favourite with all the company, many of whom I shaved
after the day's march was over. As for my master, it is not too much to
say that I was a great source of comfort to him, for after the fatigue
of sitting his mule was at an end, I practised many of the arts which
I had acquired at the bath to do away the stiffness of his limbs, by
kneading his body all over, and rubbing him with my hands.

We proceeded without impediment to Tehran, where we sojourned ten days
to rest our mules, and to increase our numbers. The dangerous part of
the journey was to come, as a tribe of Turcomans, who were at war
with the king of Persia, were known to infest the road, and had lately
attacked and plundered a caravan, whilst at the same time they had
carried those who composed it into captivity. Such were the horrors
related of the Turcomans, that many of our party, and my