beliefs, since it was impossible for them to make inquiry as to
their duty, and all doors were closed.

In Mazindaran amongst other places the people of the city of Barfuru_sh_
at the command of the chief of the lawyers the Sa'idu'l-'Ulama' made a
general attack on Mulla Husayn of Bu_sh_ruyih and his followers, and slew
six or seven persons. They were busy compassing the destruction of the
rest also when Mulla Husayn ordered the a_dh_an to be sounded and
stretched forth his hand to the sword, whereupon all sought flight, and
the nobles and lords coming before him with the utmost penitence and
deference agreed that he should be permitted to depart. They further sent
with them as a guard _Kh_usraw of Qadi-Kala with horsemen and footmen, so
that, according to the terms of the agreement, they might go forth safe
and protected from the territory of Mazindaran. When they, being ignorant
of the fords and paths, had emerged from the city, _Kh_usraw dispersed his
horsemen and footmen and set them in ambush in the forest of Mazindaran,
scattered and separated the Babis in that forest on the road and off the
road, and began to hunt them down singly. When the reports of muskets
arose on every side the hidden secret became manifest, and several
wanderers and other persons were suddenly slain with bullets. Mulla Husayn
ordered the a_dh_an to be sounded to assemble his scattered followers,
while Mirza Lutf-'Ali the secretary drew his dagger and ripped open
_Kh_usraw's vitals. Of _Kh_usraw's host some were slain and others
wandered distractedly over the field of battle. Mulla Husayn quartered his
host in a fort near the burial-place of _Sh_ay_kh_ Tabarsi, and, being
aware of the wishes of the community, relaxed and interrupted the march.
This detachment was subsequently further reinforced by Mirza Muhammad-'Ali
of Mazindaran with a number of other persons, so that the garrison of the
fort numbered three hundred and thirteen souls. Of these, however, all
were not capable of fighting, only one hundred and ten persons being
prepared for war. Most of them were doctors or students whose companions
had been during their whole life books and treatises; yet, in spite of the
fact that they were unaccustomed to war or to the blows of shot and sword,
four times were camps and armies arrayed against them and they were
attacked and hemmed in with cannons, muskets, and bomb-shells, and on all
four occasions they inflicted defeat, while the army was co