Baha. Then Mulla 'Abdu'l-Karim
conveyed the trust to its destination.

Well, we must return to our original narrative. The Prime Minister issued
a second order to his brother Mirza Hasan _Kh_an, the gist of which order
was this: "Obtain a formal and explicit sentence from the learned doctors
of Tabriz who are the firm support of the Church of Ja'far (upon him be
peace) and the impregnable stronghold of the _Sh_i'ite faith; summon the
Christian regiment of Urumiyyih; suspend the Bab before all the people;
and give orders for the regiment to fire a volley."

Mirza Hasan _Kh_an summoned his chief of the farra_sh_es, and gave him his
instructions. They removed the Bab's turban and sash which were the signs
of His Siyyid-hood, brought Him with four of His followers to the barrack
square of Tabriz, confined Him in a cell, and appointed forty of the
Christian soldiers of Tabriz to guard Him.

Next day the chief of the farra_sh_es delivered over the Bab and a young
man named Aqa Muhammad-'Ali who was of a noble family of Tabriz to Sam
_Kh_an, colonel of the Christian regiment of Urumiyyih, at the sentences
of the learned divine Mulla Muhammad of Mamaqan, of the second
ecclesiastical authority Mulla Mirza Baqir, and of the third
ecclesiastical authority Mulla Murtada-Quli and others. An iron nail was
hammered into the middle of the staircase of the very cell wherein they
were imprisoned, and two ropes were hung down. By one rope the Bab was
suspended and by the other rope Aqa Muhammad-'Ali, both being firmly bound
in such wise that the head of that young man was on the Bab's breast. The
surrounding housetops billowed with teeming crowds. A regiment of soldiers
ranged itself in three files. The first file fired; then the second file,
and then the third file discharged volleys. From the fire of these volleys
a mighty smoke was produced. When the smoke cleared away they saw that
young man standing and the Bab seated by the side of His amanuensis Aqa
Siyyid Husayn in the very cell from the staircase of which they had
suspended them. To neither one of them had the slightest injury resulted.

Sam _Kh_an the Christian asked to be excused; the turn of service came to
another regiment, and the chief of the farra_sh_es withheld his hand. Aqa
Jan Big of _Kh_amsih, colonel of the bodyguard, advanced; and they again
bound the Bab together with that young man to the same nail. The Bab
uttered certain words which those few who knew Persian