6

his immense superiority 0f force, we forced our way

and marched straight ироп his сатр. Terrified by

what had happened in the de61e, he had not courage

to wait for us in the plains, and fled precipitately, not

stopping till he had passed the Arax. We took his сатр,

the whole of his baggage and several of his zambou-

raks or falconets ироп camels: the only artillery that

the Persians used at that time in the field. Оп the 22d

0f July we attacked and took the whole 0f [he suburbs

of Erivan, and surrounded the fortress as well as we

could with the force we had. Notwithstanding the weak-

ness of our little army, Erivan was ready to surrender,

as Abbaz-Mirza was too far от to render them апу

assistance, but while negociations were pending the

governor Mahmet-khan received secret intelligence

that the king of Persia himself Fat-Ali-Schah had left

Teheran, his capital, to соте and support his son and

deliver Erivan. There was а strong party in the town,

the head 0f which was а distinguished Persian chief

kalbalek- khan, who though blinded тапу years be-

fore by the late king of Persia Aga-Mahomet-Schah,

had more firmness and resolution than the governor.

Tbis тап and his party were for the king and against

surrendering to Russia. Mahmet-khan, wavering bet-

ween both parties, tried to gain time by deceiving us

by promises, when suddenly оп the 15th of July, soon

after midnight, we were attacked in our quarters by

the king 0f Persia in person with between 30 от 40.0

теп. Though we had little тоге than 40 теп under

arms, and though dispersed over а great distance round

the fortress, and though taken by surprise (for we had

not cavalry enough to Кеер outposts in the fteld even

against the ordinary tribes of kourds, and other Рет-