muskets, the days which I had passed
among the Turcomans came again to my mind, and I longed once more to be
engaged in active life. The troops to be reviewed were stationed on
one side of the square. The secretary at war with his six scribes were
placed in the middle, taken up with their different registers: two
criers were also present, the one who, with a loud voice, called out the
name of the soldier, and the other answering _hazir_ (present) as
soon as he had passed muster. Whenever a name was called, a cavalier,
completely equipped, dashed from the condensed body, and crossed the
square at the full speed of his horse, making a low obeisance as he
passed the Shah; and this ceremony was performed by each man until
the whole were reviewed. Many and various were the appearance of the
horsemen. Some came forwards in fine style, looking like Rustams, whilst
others, who had perhaps borrowed a beast for the occasion, went hobbling
through as if the day of battle had already taken place. I recognized
many of my acquaintance as they galloped by, and was admiring the
animated manner of a young man, who had urged his horse forwards, when,
by some fatal accident, the beast fell just as they were about passing
the high pole which is erected in the middle of the course, and its
rider was thrown with great violence against the foot of it. He
was immediately taken up and carried through the crowd. Some one,
recognizing me to belong to the Shah's physician, invited me to take
charge of him, and, without the least apprehension from my ignorance, I
did not hesitate to put on the airs of a doctor. I found the unfortunate
man stretched on the ground, apparently without life. Those who
surrounded him had already prescribed largely. One was pouring water
down his throat, 'in the name of the blessed Hossien'; another was
smoking a pipe up his nose in order to awaken him; and a third was
kneading his body and limbs, to promote circulation. As soon as I
appeared, these different operations were suspended, and, room being
made, I felt his pulse with great solemnity, and as the surrounding
uplifted faces seemed to solicit a decision, I declared, with emphasis,
that he had been struck by fate, and that life and death were now
wrestling with each other who should have him. Thus (according to the
practice of my master) having prepared my hearers for the worst, I
ordered, as a preliminary to other remedies, that the patient should
be well shaken,