CHAPTER XXIX.
 
Capture of Tabriz and conflict of the Turks and Tabrizians.— The Author goes to Toi and Sirkân.— Starts for Bagdad, and afterwards has the honour of visiting the illuminated Mesheds of Irâk.— Returns to Bagdad.— Resolves on a journey to Khorasân, and arrives at Kerman Shah.— Travels into Kordistân, and Azerbâïjân.— Arrives in Gilân; after­wards in the terrestrial paradise, Mâzenderân.

ABD Allah Pasha, likewise, had conquered the greatest part of the province of Azerbâïjân, and the court of sovereignty, Tabriz, had been in the same condition as Hamadân. The Tabrizians also, after they had been reduced to weakness by making and sustaining continual assaults and the Turks had poured their forces into their town, finally drawing their swords for combat hand to hand, during five whole days maintained the fight in the streets and market-places; until the Turks, distressed by this obstinate warfare, made a proclamation, that ceasing the fight they might retire from the city with their children, and families, and whatever part of their property they could carry with them. About five thousand persons, who were all that survived of an innumerable popula­tion, with their swords in one hand, and the trem­bling hands of their consorts grasped in the other, marched out from the town through the midst of the Turkish army. Such undaunted bravery has seldom been witnessed in the ordinary inhabitants of any city, since time has been.*

I staid some days in Kerman Shah, and some few in the small town of Toi, and Sirkân, and in the places at the foot of the mountain Elwend, which are the paradises of the earthly surface; and there was the Seyyid of illustrious worth, Amir Sadr Eddin Mohammed of Sirkân, with his brother Mir Ibrahim, who were both men of pro­ficiency, and were on terms of perfect friendship with me. Their origin was from the lords of Asterâbâd. They had long been inhabitants of these countries, and were in possession of feudal lands and leases.

Afterwards I went to the court of peace, Bag­dad, and passing through the exalted Kerbela, I chose Najaf Ashraf for my habitation. For near three years I led a happy life at that holy thresh­old, and my time passed in quiet and regularity. I had always had a desire to execute a copy of the Coran in my own handwriting; and during those days I was favoured with the divine bless­ing, and wrote one, which I left in that exalted flower-garden. Sometimes I investigated objects of science, and wrote treatises on them; at other times I employed myself in reading. In the library attached to the Saint's tomb there was such a quantity collected of all kinds of books, both ancient and modern, that I cannot enumerate them. Many of them I perused. Sometimes I frequented the society of the learned and pious men, who resided in the neighbourhood of the holy vestibule. Among them were the excellent Mawla, Molla Abo El Hasan of Isphahan, and Mawla Nor Ed Dahr of Gilan; Sheikh Yonas, and Seyyid Hâshim of Najaf, since dead, who was one of the most celebrated Saints of his time. In every respect my existence was most agreeable from the overflowing blessings of this sacred spot; and I had no thoughts of any journey, or of going to any distance away from this holy threshold. At length, to renew my vow of pilgrimage to the illuminated Mesheds of Kazmein and Sorreman Râi, I went to Bagdad, and obtained the desired happiness. My intention was to return to Najaf Ashraf, when the thought of a journey to Khorasân and of visiting the Meshed of Tôs came into my mind; and fate drawing me onwards by little and little brought me to Kerman Shah, where Ahmed Pasha was with an immense army of Turks. At that time, by reason of the tumultu­ous and revolutionary state of the country, the want of all safety on the roads, and the prevalence of rebels, it was extremely difficult and dangerous to travel in Persia. However, placing my reli­ance on the protection of the Almighty, I entered the province of Kordistân; and thence arriving in Azerbâïjân I beheld those once populous coun­tries, particularly the city of Tabriz, ruined and desolated by the Turkish invasion.

Lines.*
As I passed by a heap of ruins, my own house occurred to my mind;
I saw a man who had lost a hand and a foot, and I thought of my own heart.

Then I went to the Court of safe direction, Arde­bil, which city also was in possession of the Turks, and thence I entered Gilan. A large body of the Russian army was stationed in the town of Astâ­rah,* and had built there a fort. Yahya Khân of the Tâlish tribe having made an agreement with that nation was governor of the town on their part; and as our family from ancient times had been strictly connected with his race, he offered me the observances of ancient friendship, and by his entreaties engaged me to remain some days. In consequence of the calamitous plague, which was still prevalent in that province, and of the invasion of the Russian army, it appeared to me marvellously waste and destitute; and not one survived of all my former friends, nor any of the noble and illustrious inhabitants. Some also of my fellow travellers died of that disease. Having travelled the whole length of that province with the utmost difficulty, I arrived in the heavenly country of Mâzenderân.