il'ats_ to the officers
[of the port], and re-established them in their respective situations;
to the servants and slaves I gave promotion. To those people who had
come as an escort from the temple, I gave presents and gratuities,
and having bestowed dresses on their officers, I dismissed them. Then
having taken with me jewels of great value, and pieces of fine cloth,
and shawls, and brocaded stuffs and goods, and rarities of every
region, and a large sum of money as a _nazar_ [338] for the king,
and for the nobles, according to their respective ranks, and for the
priests and priestesses, to be divided among them, after one week I
went to the idol-temple and laid the presents before the old woman.

"She gave me another _khil'at_ of dignity, and a title. I then went to
the audience of the king, and presented my _pesh-kash_. I addressed his
majesty [on the best means] to remove the evil consequences of whatever
acts of tyranny and injustice the [former] governor of the port had
committed. For this reason, the king, the nobles, and the merchants
were all well pleased with me, and the king showered many favours on
me, and having given me a _khil'at_ and a horse, he bestowed on me a
title and a _ja-gir_, [339] with other dignities and honours. When I
came out from the royal presence, I gave the servants and attendants
so much, that they all began to pray [for my welfare]. In short,
I became very happy in my condition; and I passed my days in that
country in extreme ease and felicity, after marrying the princess;
and I offered up thanks to God [for the happiness I enjoyed]. The
inhabitants were quite happy through the equity of my administration;
and once a month I used to go to the temple and the king's levee;
his majesty, from time to time, conferred on me additional promotion.

"At last, he enrolled me as one of his privy counsellors, and did
nothing without my advice; my life began to pass in extreme delight;
but God only knows that I often thought on these two brothers [and was
anxious to know] where they were and how they were. After the space
of two years, a _kafila_ of merchants arrived at the port from the
country of _Zerbad_, and they were all bound for Persia; they wished
to return to their own country by sea. It was the rule at that port,
that whenever a _karavan_ arrived there, the chiefs of the _karavan_
used to present to me as a _nazar_ some rare presents and curiosities
of different countries. On the day fol