The English officer in the
audience of the Qajar Prince
This
worthy gentleman bore the title of “Nussuckshee Bashee” to the Shahzadeh, a
sort of Earl Marshal, and it was his part to lead us to the presence. We were
conducted into a long walled square, near one end of which was a small cannon,
and a long musket gun. It was evidently intended that we should observe this
park of artillery, for, looking up, we perceived the Prince, seated at an open
window above an archway, watching our motions: we bowed, and were graciously
ordered up: the Earl Marshal led us with much affection under the archway, and
proposed that we should leave our shoes there: but we kept them to ascend a
flight of dirty steps, up which we mounted to the door of the audience chamber,
and, passing through a body of retainers, found ourselves in a small
mud-plastered room, at the end of which sat the Prince as we had observed him
from the court below. With the affectation which is common to the Cujjer
princes, he addressed us at first in Toorkish, telling us that we were “khosh
geldin;” but he assigned us seats at an honourable distance from his person,
and, presently speaking to us in the Persian language, displayed more
information about European affairs than we had been inclined to give him credit
for, or than indeed is usual for princes of the blood. They are men of very
much the same stamp; handsome, and, as regards their exterior, gentlemanlike
persons, who are brought up proudly and ignorantly in the harem, though in the
strictest knowledge of the minutiae of Persian etiquette. They condescend a few
civil questions about yourself, and as many ignorant ones about Yankee doonia
(America, or as it may be rendered, the world of the Yankees), and Frangestan,
always expressing astonishment on hearing that the latter is a term for more
countries than one. Wonderful! Is their expression when they are told any thing
about Europe that is novel to them; wonderful men are the Feringees!!!
Wonderful! Repeats the Vuzeer, and the more humble persons of the assembly
shake their heads at each other, and echo the word.
Arthur Conolly — Journey to the North of India.
Overland from England, Through Russia, Persia, and Affghaunistan. Volume [01]
(1834)
No comments:
Post a Comment