his presence against his will, and in a disrespectful manner.  Some are of opinion he did this purposely to pick a quarrel, knowing the bravery of the prince, who would not suffer an indignity, meaning to tempt him to draw his sword, or to use some violence, which the guard might suddenly revenge; or that he might have opportunity to represent to the king, that the prince had attempted to kill his keeper, on purpose to escape.  But the prince acted with patient prudence, and only procured a friend to acquaint the king with the rude behaviour of Asaph Khan.  Accordingly, one day at the durbar, the king called Asaph Khan before him, and asked when he had seen his charge?  To which he answered, he had seen him two days before.  The king then asked, What he had then done to him?  He said he had only visited him.  But the king pressed to know what reverence and fashion he had carried towards the prince.  Asaph Khan then saw that the king knew what had passed.  He therefore said, That he had gone to wait upon the prince, in all reverence and affection, to offer his service, but that the prince refused him admittance into the apartment; wherefore, as he was entrusted with his safety, he thought it both necessary for him to see the prince, and discourteous in him to deny, and had therefore pressed in.  On this, the king quickly asked, “And when you were in, what did you say and do?” Asaph Khan stood confounded, and confessed that he did not make any reverence.  Whereupon, the king told him roundly, “That he would make his proud heart know the prince as his eldest and beloved heir, and his prince and lord; and, if he ever heard again of the smallest disrespect or want of duty in his behaviour towards the prince, he would command his son to trample him under his feet.”  He added, that he loved his son Prince Churrum, yet did not entrust his eldest son Cuserou among them for his ruin and destruction.

The 20th I received a new warrant for carriages, which procured me eight camels, but such poor ones as were quite unable to suffice for our baggage, and I was therefore under the necessity of purchasing the rest.  The 22d I removed to my tents.  The 23d and 24th I waited for the merchants; and on the latter of these days I had a letter from Ispahan, saying that my letters had been dispatched for Aleppo, and that we were expected in Persia, but on condition that we seconded the wishes of Shah Abbas, by diverting the sale of his silks from Turkey.  My letters added, that the general of the Turks lay with a mighty army at Argerone, [Arzerom,] six days march short of Tauris, as if uncertain whether to attack that city, or to enter Gurgestan and Gilan, the provinces in which silk is produced, so as to win that by conquest which was refused in the way of trade.  To guard against both attempts, Shah Abbas was encamped at Salmas, whence he could march either way as might be required.  But, it was farther said, if the armies did not come to battle in two months, the approach of winter, and the wants attendant on such numerous bodies of men, would constrain both to quit the field.  It is thought the Persians will not adventure a battle, though 180,000 strong, as, being light, and unencumbered with cannon or baggage, they are fitted for rapid marches, and can harass the Turkish army with perpetual skirmishes and assaults on all sides, hovering round about, and wasting them, without hazard to themselves.