8

moment; we were not yet in great want of meat, as

we had the bullocks that had transported our former

provisions and by foraging we could get now and then

а few sheep; but even а small piece of bread or bis-

cuit had become in the last three weeks а luxury.

Cut of from all resources, surrounded by а force in-

fmitely superior to our own, and having in the very

centre 0f our encampment, а Persian garrison which

alone counted the double 0f fghting теп, we had at

our disposal the chances of getting out into the plain

and afterwards through 10 days of march seemed all

against us. Even when arrived оп our own frontier,

we had to expect diflcult,ies and rebellion aided by а

picked Persian force commanded by the most enter-

prising of their generals. We were since informed that

the, king 0f Persia was perfectly persuaded that we

would all be killed or taken, and that opinion got its

way through Persia to the British authorities in India

and from them to England.

Your grandfather has often told те since, that though

his friends in уоис government did not like to

t,ell him the whole 0f the intelligence received from

Calcutta; still he heared enough to be several weeks

in а most anxious and tormenting state 0f mind оп

ту account.

Happily for us the Persians though, а little

improved now in military tactics, were at that time а

most despicable епету, they had neither infantry that

could be called so, nor artillery except [he zambu-

raks от falconets ироп camels, and а few light pi-

eces drawn by bullocks, and very ill served. The

king himself was по warrior, and попе 0f hiS' chief