his enraged his domestics, who retorted the insult
by blows. Showers of stones ensued from our party, and this led to a
general fray, in which the Pasha's representative had his turban knocked
from his head, his beard spit upon, and his clothes nearly torn from his
back.

'Such an outrage of course could not be overlooked. The ambassador was
furious; he threatened to send off couriers to the Shah, and was even on
the point of returning to his own master when the governor, frightened
at the consequences if his wrath was not appeased, promised that
he should have all satisfaction, and that the ringleaders of the
disturbance should immediately be delivered up to him.

'Trusting to my father's consequence in the city, and full of vapouring
pride at what we had achieved, I at first made light of the vows of
vengeance which the Turks breathed against us; but the governor, who
only contemplated the loss of his place if the news of this event
reached Tehran; and caring little whether Ali was the true successor to
the Prophet, or whether Osman, Omar, and Abubekr were usurpers or
not, he at once ordered me to be seized, as well as two others of my
companions, and forthwith we were placed at the disposal of the enraged
Osmanlies.

'I shall never forget the contending emotions of my mind when brought
face to face before these objects of my hatred. I did not at all relish
the sound beating which they had it in contemplation to inflict upon
me; and, at the same time, I groaned under the necessity of keeping to
myself that stream of abuse which was ready to flow against them upon
the smallest provocation.

'They seemed, however, quite ready to return all our hatred with
interest, and did not lose this opportunity of letting us know its full
extent. They were not generous enough to let us off, but ordered the
administration of the bastinado with a degree of religious zest that
I thought could never have existed in any breast except my own. To be
short, our feet were beat into a jelly, and our only consolation during
the operation was the opportunity afforded us of giving vent to our
pent-up rage. The Turk, however, was revenged, and we were set free.

'This adventure cooled my zeal for many years; although, in the pursuit
of the distinctions which my father sought, I continued to addict myself
to controversy. When about twenty-five years old, and my beard had
acquired a respectable consistency, I went to Ispahan in order to
impro