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NARRATIVE,

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CHAPTER I.

My fellow-travellers-Futteh Ali Khan-Departure from Bombay-Persian Syyud-His Compliment to the English, and opinion of our Devotion-Luminous Surface of the Sea-Dinner with the Prince-Persian Politeness-Arrival at Muscat-Barren Appearance of the Cove-Fortifications-Shipping-Ignorance of the Imaum and of his Officers in Navigation-Anecdote-The Imaum and Futteh Ali Khan-Our Introduction to the Imaum-His character-Wahhabbee Pirate-Town of Muscat - Bazaar- InhabitantsMethod of extracting Toll-Imaum's stud-Slave Auction.

IN the month of January, 1824, Mr. Ker Baillie Hamilton, Mr. Lamb, Captain Hart, and myself, met from different parts of India,

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FUTTEH ALI KHAN.

at the Presidency of Bombay. We were all resolved upon an overland journey to England, but differed as to the precise route. By making a few mutual concessions on this point, we agreed to travel together; an arrangement in which we were assisted by Captain Alexander, who kindly granted us a passage to Bussorah in his Majesty's ship Alligator, of which he had the command.

January 26.-The night before we sailed, the officers of the frigate, and our travelling party, dined with His Highness Futteh Ali Khan, who, as well as ourselves, embarked on board the Alligator the following morning.

Futteh Ali Khan is an eunuch in the seraglio of his brother-in-law, Abbas Meerza, the Prince Royal of Persia, who married his sister. He is the son of the brave but unfortunate Lootf Ali Khan, (the last King of Persia of the Zund dynasty,) who was murdered by Aga Mohummud, in 1794. Lootf Ali has been aptly compared to Richard Coeur-de-Lion of

FUTTEH ALI KHAN.

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England, and Charles XII. of Sweden, and he is still the subject of song and poetry in Persia. The usurper destroyed nearly all the members of the deposed family; the remainder he dispersed over Mazanderaun. At the period of his father's overthrow, our royal shipmate was seven years' old; his life was spared probably on account of his tender age; but the condition to which he was reduced by the barbarous policy of the conqueror made the boon of little value.

The year previous to our meeting at Bombay, I had seen His Highness at Calcutta, where, in my capacity of aide-de-camp to the Marquis of Hastings, the then Governor General of India, I had frequent opportunities of conversing with him. He had at that time just arrived from the Court of the Prince Royal of Persia on a visit to India; and our Government, with its usual liberality, had allowed him a hundred rupees a-day, and a splendid establishment--attractions which proved so

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DEPARTURE FROM BOMBAY.

great to His Highness, that there is no knowing to what period he might have prolonged his stay, had not ill health accelerated his departure.

His Highness is tall and emaciated; he has large black eyes and a sallow complexion: though not more than thirty-eight years old, he appears double that age, and his voice and features so resemble those of a female, that when wrapped up in shawls, he might be easily mistaken for an old woman.

January 27.-We went on board the Alligator at ten this morning: shortly after us, Futteh Ali Khan embarked, under a salute from the batteries. Being in a delicate state of health, he was hoisted, or in sea phrase, 66 whipped on board." The sailors, whose notions of princely appearance were probably formed from the pictures of our own royal family, seemed much surprised at the feminine look of the unfortunate Persian, and many a

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