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Abba?, and killed with his own hand two or three soldiers who dared to disobev bis orders •
he called out •• Pai-don, Pardon". From this timo the slaughter ceased, tho soldiers dispersing
in all directions in search of plunder (tho soldiers in camp also left their duty and join'd
thoir comrades in plundering the town). Nearly every house in the town was entered and
plundered, wiih tho oxccplion of the houses of IIis Royal Highness the Zil-i-Sultao,and
Chief Priest IIajoo Seid Kaosom, the Scraskicr, on entering, scut a guard to protect them •
some Arabs also came in with tho troops and plundered; the women's apartments were ali
forced open, and what tho women did not give up voluntarily was taken fiom them by force;
somo deaths took place in tho houses—in them some soldiers arc said lo have been found killed!
Many Persians had conveyed their property to the houses of the Persian princes, thinking their
houses (*rc) being guests of the Turkish Government would bo respected, they met however
with tho samo treatment, in many eases the soldiers threatened to murder the for van to, if they
did not discover where tho jewels and money wero hidden, all bedding, carpets, etc!, were
carried off tho soldiers forcing the owners or sorvants to carry them to camp. The Scraskier
had after his arrival at the temple of Ilosscin, given orders to oca-o plundering and raaoy
were stopped at the gates -the property was afterwards collected in the court of the temples
of Ilo«scin and Abbas for the rightful owners to claim, many told me when they went there
to lock for their property, they found only a few old bed covers, and worn out carpets, all
had bc**n carried away or stolen. Tnc weather at this time was exceedingly cold, and the
sufferings of many who had been robbed of their all, must have been dreadful. The Yeramas
Chiefs told me that they saw much plundered property in Mardan which had been brought
thereby Persians who had gone to the Governor and claimed it ns th«-ir own. It is also
stated that manv of the Mardan Arabs before leaving he town on the approach of tho troops
plundered the inhabitants. Before the Sernskior bad proclaimed pardon some poor creatures
who were forced to carry out their property for the soldiers, on arriving outside the town
were stripped of everything and afterwards decapitated, their heads taken to the Seraskier's
cashier in the Battery to ciaim the promised reward, at last he refused to give the soldiers
any more money for heads not before some twenty poor crraturcs had suffered. The
Scraskicr now exerted himself to get the soldiers out of the town to stop tho plundering which
the Persians declare continued nearly until sunset, when tho soldiers worn out with fatigue,
and satiated with plunder, became obedient to thtir officers, and returned to ramp. The
slaughter continued two hours, almost every poison the soldiers met in the streets they killed
luckily few persons ventured to leave the Mosquos or their houses.
No Prince of tho Royal blood nor any Persian of rank were killed, tho sufferers were ull
of the poorer classes, small shopkeepers and labourers also a few learned men.
The wife of Prince Holakoo Mirza was severely wounded by a soldier, she is closely con­
nected with the Shah of Persia being a daughter of the lato Hooscin Ali Mcerza, Prince
Governor of Pars. A soldier of the irregulars entered her apartments and seized her child
which ho threatened to kill if she did not. give up her property, being a courageous woman she
ran forward, and seized him by the beard" and spat in his face, her servants rushed in to at­
tack the miscreant, in retiring she fell, the soldier fired, the ball bared two of her ribs and
lodged in her arm, the child was saved by a black nurse who ran off with it. The Secretary
of Seid Ibrahim Kasvccnco, Chief PrieBt, Seid Mahomed Ali was seized by the soldiers and
forced to carry outside the walls somo plunder for them. Ho stated who be was, but it was
of no avail, on aniving outside the gate they out off his head, and took it to the Cashier of
the Seraskicr Pasha, for a reward. He was a young man much respected. An eyewitness, an
European informed me he saw three soldiers covered with blood who had their pockets full of
ears going to claim a reward and from the same person I learnt that he saw s.-me soldiers
amusing themselves in placing a number of headless bodies in position, and then setting fire to
them—the son of Prince Ali Nakjee Mcerza (son oE the late Shah of Persia) Nusscnola
Mcerza informed me that after his father had left the town with his brother His Royal
Highness tho Zil-i-Sultan, finding the last day that some of tho shots reached his father's
house, ho removed his father's family consisting of twenty persons to the house of his
uncle Imar.m Wurdcc Mcerza which was close to tho mosquo of Abbas, many Persian
families had assembled there with their property thinking it would bo secure.. The soldiors
broko into tho house. Tho young Prince remonstrated with them (it is said he opposed
force) and told them lie belonged to tho Royal Family of Persia, the soldiers insisted
on entering and wounded tho Prince slightly—three servants aud one black woman^ were
killed—they went into the Haram and commanded the women collected there to give up
their property, one of tho ladies whom I called on at Iverbelah, told me they wero all so
alarmed and that they took off their jewols and flung them towards the soldiers, one of them
observing she still kept her car-rings demanded them and approached to help himself, after
completely sacking tho houso t hey retired. The lionso of Alee "Wurdcc Khan, an uncle of tho
present Shah was also entered by the soldiers, this house was dcfcodcd by the Aral's. The
Khan jumped into a well to save his life, one < f his servants went and informed the Seraskicr
who immediately sent somo men to his relief. Tho Khan was taken to tho Seraskicr Pasha
nearly dead with cold who sent him into tho Ilarom of Ilooscin for safety. yi by tho Khan
did nut loavc tho town boforo the siege is a mystery, it is said ho was very active in advising
the Persians to romain in t he town.
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